SCOUT METHOD
The Scout method is the informal educational system used by Scouting. The aim of Scouting is character training with the goal of helping participants become independent and helpful,and thereby become "healthy, happy, helpful citizens".
The Scout method uses appealing games in the primitive outdoors to generate challenges which a Scout learns to solve by himself. Through the training and the example of the leader, Scouts are taught independence, leadership, the ambition to learn by himself, and a moral code with positive goals. According to founder Robert Baden Powell, the Scout method works naturally and unconsciously: naturally in the way that it follows the natural impulses of the Scout, and unconsciously because the Scout is not aware of the education.
The Scout method uses appealing games in the primitive outdoors to generate challenges which a Scout learns to solve by himself. Through the training and the example of the leader, Scouts are taught independence, leadership, the ambition to learn by himself, and a moral code with positive goals. According to founder Robert Baden Powell, the Scout method works naturally and unconsciously: naturally in the way that it follows the natural impulses of the Scout, and unconsciously because the Scout is not aware of the education.
Law And Promise
The Scout law is a personal code of living to guide the way each Scout lives his or her life. It is not a repression of faults, so was not framed as a list of prohibitions. It states what is good form and what is expected of a Scout.The Scout Law is at the heart of the Scout method. With the Scout Promise a Scout is engaged to do his best to obey the Scout law. The main principles are:
- Duty to God
- Duty to others
- Duty to self
Mission
The mission of Scouting is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. This is achieved by:
- involving them throughout their formative years in a non-formal educational process
- using a specific method that makes each individual the principal agent of his or her development as a self-reliant, supportive, responsible and committed person
- assisting them to establish a value system based upon spiritual, social and personal principles as expressed in the Promise and Law.
Vision
The Vision for Scouting is:
As a global Movement, making a real contribution to creating a better world. We see Scouting entering its second century as an influential, value-based educational Movement focussed on achieving its mission, involving young people working together to develop their full potential, supported by adults who are willing and able to carry out their educational role.
We see Scouting world-wide as attracting and retaining more and more young people (especially adolescents) of both genders and coming from broader segments of society.
We see Scouting as attractive to adults, women and men, in all cultures - a Movement through which they can make a significant contribution to society by working with young people.
We see Scouting as a dynamic, innovative Movement with adequate resources, simple structures and democratic decision making processes where organisation, management and communication are effective at all levels.
As a global Movement, making a real contribution to creating a better world. We see Scouting entering its second century as an influential, value-based educational Movement focussed on achieving its mission, involving young people working together to develop their full potential, supported by adults who are willing and able to carry out their educational role.
We see Scouting world-wide as attracting and retaining more and more young people (especially adolescents) of both genders and coming from broader segments of society.
We see Scouting as attractive to adults, women and men, in all cultures - a Movement through which they can make a significant contribution to society by working with young people.
We see Scouting as a dynamic, innovative Movement with adequate resources, simple structures and democratic decision making processes where organisation, management and communication are effective at all levels.
Strategy
The adoption of the Strategy for Scouting in 2002 was the result of the work done at all levels of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in recent years. The Strategy for Scouting recognises that each National Scout Organisation (NSO) has peculiar needs and challenges. Consequently each NSO adapts the Strategy to its own reality and develops coherent action plans. Therefore, the Strategy for Scouting is not rigid, it is a framework for integral action.
A common strategy makes sense because:
A common strategy makes sense because:
- Based on a shared vision, it strengthens the feeling of belonging to a united, world-wide Movement, for both National Scout Organizations and individual Scouts.
- Developed at world level, it enables us to "step back" far enough from the details to help us see the forest rather than the trees.
- International co-operation on common issues enables us to help each other identify the "mental models" we are using and make the necessary "mind-shifts" which are required to find and implement innovative solutions.
- Sharing experience at international level enables us to avoid becoming static and to benefit from success stories and good practices.
- Building up and implementing a world strategy together, offers the best opportunity for National Scout Organisations to develop team learning and networking and to benefit from belonging to a world organization.
- It is based upon the mission of Scouting.
- It takes into account the key challenges which NSOs are facing in implementing the mission.
- It proposes a shared vision of Scouting for the 21st century.
- It focuses on three main areas which are crucial for the success of Scouting:
the needs and expectations of young people,
the motivation of adult leaders to contribute to the mission of Scouting,
new trends in managing non-governmental organisations - It identifies and proposes seven strategic priorities which should be used by each National Scout Organizations to build up its own action plans.
- It identifies clearly the areas on which the world and regional bodies should focus in order to support their associations.
Prohibition
Scouting does not prohibit bad habits, but instead gives more exciting, better alternatives that will absorb the Scout's attention and gradually lead him to forget the old habit. The reasoning is that "prohibition generally invites evasion, since it challenges the spirit inherent in every red-blooded boy. The boy is not governed by DON'T, but is led on by DO."
Spirituality
A Scout should be spiritual but Scouting is open to all religions. Scouting deals with religions in the practical way: by nature study (to see what God is) and helping others (which is what God asks for). According to Baden-Powell this is part of all religions. Scouting develops the spiritual side through teaching life-saving techniques and by promoting the daily good deed. Today religious practice is not a duty any more, as long as the Scout follows the Scout law and promise.
Good Deeds
The good deed is a key component of the law and promise. Baden-Powell felt this is the main duty God asks for, and fulfilling our duty to others makes us happy, which fulfills the duty to ourselves. The point is not so much the deed itself, which could be minor, but to teach the Scout to always pay attention and recognize if he could help someone.
Learning By Doing
Scouts games are full of practical action. This holds the participant's attention and gives the scout hands-on experience in how the theory works. Although Baden-Powell put emphasis on practical work and independent learning, he did not rule out the need for instruction by leaders or in books. The phrase "Learning by doing" is nowadays much used in Scouting.
Patrol System
Sometimes called the 'patrol method', Scouts are organized in small groups (about five to seven Scouts) because this is the natural way boys work together. These patrols are therefore more important than the Scout Troop. Patrols must be kept intact under all circumstances, including working, tenting, learning, cooking, and surviving together. In a Patrol the Scouts learn to work with others, while the Patrol leader learns responsibility for others. Both have to give up part of their personal interest for this. However, Scouting deals with the individual, not with the Company. A Scout has his own identity within the group and learns as an individual. The Patrol serves as the character school for the individual. Younger sections, such as Cub Scouts and Beaver Scouts, are divided into sixes (Cubs) or lodges (Beavers). While Beaver lodges have no leader structure, Cub sixes have a sixer and seconder.
Honour Court
Called the "Patrol Leaders' Council" in some quarters. The Scout patrols are subject to an Honour Court formed by the Patrol leaders, with the Scout leader as adviser. This is a peer system in which Scouts discuss each other's behaviour and is part of the self-governing aspect of scouting.
Self Progression
Self-reliance
Baden-Powell wanted a Scout to learn to make his own decisions, as he felt this would help the children grow and mature. Baden-Powell wrote that a Scout should paddle his own canoe, metaphorically speaking. He should travel not in a rowing boat, with his back to where he goes, rowed by others and someone else at the rudder, but alone in a canoe: facing the future, paddling and steering by himself. Scouting teaches self-reliance by bringing the Scouts into a challenging, somewhat risky environment, without help in the direct neighbourhood. Therefore the program is based on an adult, adventurous, and appealing outdoor life. "A man's job cut down to boy's size."
Baden-Powell wanted a Scout to learn to make his own decisions, as he felt this would help the children grow and mature. Baden-Powell wrote that a Scout should paddle his own canoe, metaphorically speaking. He should travel not in a rowing boat, with his back to where he goes, rowed by others and someone else at the rudder, but alone in a canoe: facing the future, paddling and steering by himself. Scouting teaches self-reliance by bringing the Scouts into a challenging, somewhat risky environment, without help in the direct neighbourhood. Therefore the program is based on an adult, adventurous, and appealing outdoor life. "A man's job cut down to boy's size."
Self-governing
Giving responsibility to the Scouts is a keystone of the Scout method: "Expect him to carry out his charge faithfully. Don't keep prying to see how he does. Let him do it his own way. Let him come a howler over it if need be, but in any case leave him alone." The Patrol is almost independent, while the Troop is run by the Patrol Leaders in the Patrols' Leaders Council and Court of Honour.
Self-learning
Education in Scouting should give a Scout the ambition and desire to learn by himself, which is more valuable than receiving instruction from leaders. This is done by having the Scout undertake activities that attract him individually from the selection offered in Scouting for Boys.
Giving responsibility to the Scouts is a keystone of the Scout method: "Expect him to carry out his charge faithfully. Don't keep prying to see how he does. Let him do it his own way. Let him come a howler over it if need be, but in any case leave him alone." The Patrol is almost independent, while the Troop is run by the Patrol Leaders in the Patrols' Leaders Council and Court of Honour.
Self-learning
Education in Scouting should give a Scout the ambition and desire to learn by himself, which is more valuable than receiving instruction from leaders. This is done by having the Scout undertake activities that attract him individually from the selection offered in Scouting for Boys.
Badge System
The "Personal Progressive Scheme" is based on two complementary elements:
- Proficiency (Merit) badges are intended to encourage the Scout to learn a subject which could be his work or hobby, and cover many different types of activities not always related to Scouting.
- Class badges or Progress system:
- Class badges are successive stages in which the Scout learns the techniques needed for the Scout game. An important final (first Class) test for the Scout or Guide section is making a journey on their own, proving their independence.
- The personal progress system was introduced by the World Organization Of Scout Movement as an alternative to the Class badges. The programme uses successive stages which young people go through in order to reach the educational objectives for each age group. The system puts more emphasis on personal objectives of physical, intellectual, affective, social, spiritual, and character development.
Nature
Nature as the learning school
The Scouting game mostly takes place in Nature, because it is an adventurous environment with challenges, which Scouts want to conquer. In this way the Scout and the Patrol learn to overcome difficulties and learn to make their own decisions.
God in nature
According to Baden-Powell, the Scout could find God in Nature when he realised the complexity and beauty of Nature.
Love of outdoors
Scouts see Nature as an adventurous place, and it is expected that when they get older the experience from their youth will make them nature lovers.
The Scouting game mostly takes place in Nature, because it is an adventurous environment with challenges, which Scouts want to conquer. In this way the Scout and the Patrol learn to overcome difficulties and learn to make their own decisions.
God in nature
According to Baden-Powell, the Scout could find God in Nature when he realised the complexity and beauty of Nature.
Love of outdoors
Scouts see Nature as an adventurous place, and it is expected that when they get older the experience from their youth will make them nature lovers.
Adult Support
An important part of Scouting education is the personal example of the leader. The Scout is impressed by the leader because of his age, his knowledge, and his position as a leader. If the leader is popular, leadership will be seen as an attractive goal, and the Scout will follow the example of the leader. The Scoutmaster living the Scout law will have more influence than one who simply talks about it. In the boys' eyes it is what a man does that counts and not so much what he says.