Wynken has just passed his first Boy Scout Board of Review for his Tenderfoot rank.The Scoutmaster called an official review board to quiz the scouts on the requirements, what they had learned, and what they had retained. The Board was gentle but firm - no rubber stamping allowed.
Wynken had a little trouble getting himself collected enough for the review board, so he was allowed to let another scout go ahead of him and return a few minutes later to answer the questions. He eventually did pass and so everybody is breathing a collective sigh of relief. It's a good learning experience.
Both patrols in our Troop have been very busy in their first year - our first awards ceremony will feature 97 badges!
2 comments:
A Board of Review is not for testing or "rubber stamping". Once a requirement has been signed off, it is finished. Further confirmation ("testing") is specifically frowned upon in all relevant Scout leader training.
From the official Scouting website:
"This review is not and should not be an examination or retest of skills learned. Rather, it is an attempt to determine the Scout's attitude and his acceptance of Scouting's ideals, both in the troop and outside of it. The board should get a sense of the importance that the Scout attributes to Scouting in his home life, at school, and in the troop. It also shows how the Scout perceives the troop and its adult leaders."
Source: http://www.scouting.org/Training/Adult/Supplemental/BoardofReviewTraining.aspx
Scoutsigns, thanks for that information. Maybe it was I who misunderstood.
One of the board members did mention that they were trying to get a sense of his Scout spirit and attitude, but because he had had an emotional evening before we went to the Board of Review he was having trouble settling himself. Thus, they let someone else go first and then he went.
Still, I'd like to double check with the Troop leadership to see that they are implementing the Board of Review correctly. Thanks for the tip!
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