Morse makes it a Meal (kind of?)
Scouts took a risk this week!
We had tried morse code previously – and it frustrated both Leaders and Scouts … despite all the encouragement from Leaders and ideas for practical usage -the response from Scouts was a resounding “watspoint?”
So this time we used our imagination, stepped up the difficulty AND the incentive!
Scouts were given the opportunity to buy in (or buy out! – two elected to do paperwork with Chil … and soon regretted not having a go!)
So – we separated them into teams and separated the teams far enough that communication could not be achieved by voice. We told them to imagine no network coverage or WiFi and gave them a torch and a tuck shop menu and told them… “you can have what you can communicate!” (to a budget!)
With chocolate up for grabs they all engaged!
The message seems to be:
Make it challenging, give us a ‘real’ reward and we’ll all have fun together (Leaders and Scouts).
Here’s a challenge for the Scouts then!
Take your hands out of your pockets, lift your heads and contribute to planning the programme. Us leaders are OLD – we don’t have your imagination and our natural response it to make it easier for you when you struggle to engage.
If you rise to a challenge – demand it!
Our job is to let you do things that you wouldn’t nornally get to do (whilst keeping you safe).
Test us! Ask us to help you achieve the seemingly impossible.
Together we’ll work out what the barriers are -and how to overcome them!
… or we can just do paperwork with Chil!
Less paperwork…! More outdoor FUN!
I believe the Scouting is largely about getting kids outside and giving them an experience that’s NOT in front of a screen.
Maybe also it’s not even WHAT we try and teach them, but just the fact that they’re they, interacting with humans in a face-to-face sorta way that is the big thing. How much “social” this and “social” that is there on the interwebs… when in reality all you’re doing is having a relationship with a computer?! that’s always going to be second best to a real person.
I’m toying with the idea of a Turing Test or something for Cubs / Scouts to prove the point! 😉
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