I'm back from the first weekend of Wood Badge. I somehow ended up being the troop guide to the Bear patrol. I was told that we should be a guide to a patrol other than the one we were in, but somehow I managed it.
What a great experience this has been, although, I must say that it's quite different from the perspective of staff.
As a participant, everything was new and exciting. I was constantly thinking about what I needed to learn and what I could do to improve Scouting within my circle of influence. It was an incredibly emotional experience.
This time around, I've been focused not on myself or my own leadership responsibilities, but on the participants. Am I doing everything I can to make their experience as good as it can be? Instead of internalizing the lessons and thinking of how I can use them, I'm watching my patrol and trying to judge their reactions. Instead of developing my own ticket, I'm giving feedback on theirs. I wonder, are they getting the same things I did? What is affecting them? Are they really here to learn or are they just going through the motions? If they didn't want to come at first, has that changed?
I can't know exactly what they are thinking. I hope it has gone well for them. I hope it has been a great experience. I worry that a couple of presentations and activities fell flat, but that could be a result of my different perspective.
Even with these differences, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Even if I did have to play a dyslexic granddaughter in a skit revolving around the story of Rindercella. I even had to slop my dripper. But it sure was fun. I can't wait for next weekend.
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