St. George’s Day

Today is St. George's Day. St. George, amongst other things is the patron saint of Scouting. Today Scouts can wear their uniform at school and we renew our Promise (although I did it at the parade on Sunday and at Scouts last night!).

On My Honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law

Although I'm not wearing uniform at work today I am wearing a Scout badge. It's a Boy Scouts of America one that I was given by my old Scout Leader when he moved to the States and helped out at a BSA Troop in California for a while.

BSA Badge

Scout’s Behaviour…….

Has improved! Last night the Scouts were a little better behaved and were a bit more cooperative! We were looking at mapping a grid references and even the ones who can play up put their best into the task!

I also had a go at a Scoutmaster Minute where I talked about a couple of the bits of the Scout Law and if the Scouts had lived up to them during the day. They seemed to listen, think and take it in. All I’ve got to do now is think of something for next week!

Helping Each Other

After my last post about the behaviour of some of my Scouts, I’ve been having an interesting Transatlantic chat by email with Jerry of Troop 664 from Gresham, Oregon in the US. This came about after he left some comments on my last post.

It’s always good to have a fresh pair of eyes to look over a problem and especially interesting when that person has a different perspective. We are all Scouts and have the same main aims, but we achieve them by using different programmes and methods. One of the things Jerry has been talking about is the Scoutmaster Minute. This is where the Scout Master (Leader) talks to the Troop at the end of their meeting on a relevant topic. We don’t have anything similar in the UK, but it sounds like a good idea, so I’m going to give it a bash.

Thanks for ideas Jerry.

One thing I noticed about Troop 664 is that one of their patrols is called Fried Potatoes Patrol! Someone has got a good sense of humour!

Kid’s Behaviour

At Scouts last night I was expecting them to be a little more subdued than normal – Wrong!

As soon as they came in they were fighting (not in a malicious way, but ‘playing’) and generally messing. When I was talking, they were chatting away to each other etc.

They do not have any concept of manners. I do wonder why we all bother sometimes.

Scout Leader Again

Tomorrow I get to run the Scout Troop for the first time in nearly three years. The good news is that our previous Leader has decided to stay on, but in a lesser capacity. He’s staying away for a bit so he can get his head together.

Trouble is that leaves muggins here to run everything. I was quite enjoying helping out, but not being THE Leader (being Group Scout Leader is enough thank you!). Hopefully the family camp we’re doing soon may throw up someone suitable.

We’ve got a parent’s meeting for the camp tomorrow. It’ll be interesting what, if anything, the parents say about their kid’s behaviour!

Etruria’s Gone!

Well not the whole area, but the remains of the station. Thanks to the Dft‘s shortsightedness another bit of public transport in North Staffordshire bites the dust! Only about 9 more to go and then we will have no more stations!

Well to be fair, Wedgwood, Blarlaston, Stone and Norton Bridge are all effectively closed as no trains actually stop there, just buses! Stone is pretty safe, but the others aren’t. Angry

Behaviour of Scouts

I’m depressed.Sad

Last night the Scouts were being little sods (I’m being extremely polite).

The Scout Leader had spoken to the Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders about what they wanted to do for this term’s programme and that they were now to take more responsibility for their patrols and to help teach the other patrol members what skills they had learned. They all seemed to listen and react in a positive manner.

However, while we were making a bridge without rope with our pioneering poles, a group started messing around, ‘play’ fighting and hitting each other with their neckerchiefs. After being told to stop messing a few times, the Scout Leader had to tell them off again and they ignored him and were laughing while he was talking. This ended up in tempers being lost and the net result was that the Scout Leader went home.

I’ve now had his resignation.

He’s said that there is no point in carrying on if there is no respect from the Scouts. The thing is they all like him, it’s just that they don’t really respect any adult figures. For example, they all like camping, but don’t want to do any of the work associated with it. Ask them to wash dishes and the sulks are massive. However, ask them to put wood on a fire and they’re all there.

It seems to me that they all get everything done for them at home and they don’t have to lift a finger which is why they only want to do what ever they want.

So how is respect taught? I don’t know, but it’s certainly difficult to do so in an hour and a half each week, especially when they don’t seem to have to respect or learn social skills anywhere else.

So now I’ve lost a very good, experienced and capable leader.

I’m not a happy bunny!

Art, the Tate and Tigger!

While in London on Sunday I went to the Tate Modern. This is an old power station converted into an art gallery. I like going there as it’s quite funny sometimes seeing what is classed as ‘art’! Some of the most funny is in the old turbine hall. This is a huge area where the turbines for generating electricity were once housed.

The current ‘installation’ is called ‘Shibboleth’. This is basically a dirty great crack in the floor. It is supposed to represent the history of racism or something! Another barking mad artist who takes themselves far too seriously.

So I decided to create my own temporary installation!

100_2761

‘Holiday Tigger sitting on a crack’

I’d bought Tigger for Carol as she’d stayed at home to look after her Dad who’s recently had a hip replacement. I couldn’t resist!

Perhaps I should charge £500 a print as it’s art. And it’s art ‘cos I say so!