Amit Srivastava, Scoutmaster 2012-2017, a retrospect

by | Sep 2, 2017 | Scoutmaster Notes

I took over Troop 443 as a Scoutmaster over 5 years back in 2012. I had taken over from a Scoutmaster who himself was an Eagle Scout and knew every aspect of scouting. Not having experienced scouting as a child, I was not sure if I could serve as a Scoutmaster or have experiences that I could use to relate to this position. Since the troop needed a scoutmaster or could risk being dissolved, I took the step anyway to lead the troop.
Fortunately there is a lot that Boy Scouts of America prepares you with to help lead a troop. An example is the OLS training which is offered to any adult leader who wants to know more about scouting. Plus the new scouts that join a troop are not entirely depending on the adult volunteers to lead them on everything all the time. A lot of the learnings are passed down from older more experienced scouts. The older scouts practice the EDGE method style of learning. The EDGE method is a four step method for teaching a skill:

  • Explain
  • Demonstrate
  • Guide
  • Enable

Explain First explain what you will be doing. Tell them the steps involved. Visual aids might be helpful for this step. Use questions to gauge their understanding.

Demonstrate Show them how to do the skill. Demonstrate the steps using the actual materials. Describe what you are doing.

Guide Let them practice the skill. Guide and coach them as they try to do it themselves. This step will take the most time.

Enable Enable them by letting them do the skill themselves without any intervention.

Thus, the adult leaders are there not to show everything but to be there to guide and mentor the scouts as they make their way through scouting.

What has been truly enjoyable being a scoutmaster over the four and a half years is to see young boys start out as curious, excited scouts and see them turn into young adult leaders filled with wisdom, compassion that demonstrate good citizenship.
I have accompanied the troop on a number of outdoor activities which include hiking, biking, camping in the beautiful California landscape and that has been a added bonus to the great experience of leading the troop as a Scoutmaster.