BSA Methods – Teaching Others

The methods of Scouting are the ways that Scouting’s aims of developing character, citizenship, and fitness in youth are achieved.

One of the methods for Venturers is “teaching others”. Teaching others is the best way to really acquire deep knowledge of an area. By sharing their skills with others, Venturers retain their knowledge better and provide service to others

This method fits in well with the older Scout focus of the Venturing program. Teaching others gives Venturers a way to share their knowledge with others. Most teens I have worked with are hungry for more independence and responsibility. This is a good way for them to exercise their growing maturity.

How can this method be incorporated into a Venturing program:

• A crew with a hobby focus could share their knowledge with a school, troop, or pack.
• Crew members can serve as Den Chiefs in a Cub Scout pack. (As far as I can tell, both male and female Venturers are eligible to be Den Chiefs.)
• Recruit new members into the Crew and teach them new skills.
• A crew member with specialized knowledge can do an orientation for an upcoming event, such as skiing or rock climbing.
• Volunteer to serve as a mentor or a tutor to younger children in need.

If you look at all of the references to the requirements for the various Venturing awards below, you will see that they all involve some sort of teaching. And this is really not the whole list. Teaching others is really core to the Venturing program whether the Venturers are working on awards or not.