MODULES FOR ELECTIVES

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Module on Creativity

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IntroductionThink of a wooden chair. Picture it vividly in your mind. What does it look like? Does it have carvings on its backrest? What do they look like? How long are its armrests and legs? How deep is the seat? Is it flat? What is its texture and color? Now rotate the wooden chair in your mind so that you can examine it from different angles, say, from the top, from the sides, from underneath. Do you still perceive it as a chair? What do you see? Can you associate it with a different object when you look at it from a different angle?

Using your imagination can sometimes be challenging, especially when you don’t use it very often. It is a lot easier to imagine things which are recalled easily and are very familiar, like picturing your own bedroom, your working place, a very familiar campsite, or your favorite restaurant. But what about imagining things, places or concepts, which you have not seen before? How can you picture something, which perhaps, you’ll only invent in your head?

Conceptualizing something that is just about to be created so that it is still abstract is not very easy. It requires a lot of imagination, and of course, a lot of creativity. Now creativity doesn’t necessarily mean being artistic; it also means being innovative, resourceful, unique, and original, even in a very simple way.

This Self-Instructional Module (SIM) will help you, as a learner, to develop your creative skills and thinking. It aims to make you aware of your creative abilities and help you apply it to your work and lifestyle.

The Module has these parts:1. An Introduction2. Checkpoint, which has been designed as a pre-test and a posttest as well;3. Quick Check, which contains the Answer Key for the Checkpoint;4. Challenge, which contains activities to do to reflect application or achievement;5. Sum It Up, a synthesis at the end of the Module to summarize what you have learned.

We hope that you will pick up a lot of things from this piece of work and that you will be able to apply them to become better, more effective, and most important, more creative Scout Leaders. Enjoy!

Lesson 1: Creativity and You

ObjectivesAt the end of this Module, you should be able to:

discuss the role of creativity in the development of human society. diagnose creativity in yourself, and eventually, among your Scouts / leaders as well. explain the two different approaches to understanding creativity. identify obstacles to creativity.

“My father used to say, if you want to be different, do something different.”

-Wynton Marsali

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What is creativity?Since time immemorial, people have been interested in exploring the enigmatic realm of the human psyche that is creativity. To take one example from the ancient world, Plato discussed society’s need for creative people in his Ion, and suggested ways of fostering their development. Over the centuries, painters, sculptors, poets, writers, and other creative artists have frequently discussed creativity, one theory widely accepted in the 19th century being that it was closely aligned to madness! Do you agree with that?

However, in more recent times, researchers prior to and shortly after the Second World War looked at creativity in mathematics and the natural sciences, as well as in professions such as architecture. In these discussions, creativity had strong aesthetic connotations, and was largely seen as a medium for beautifying the environment, a form of self-expression and communication, or a way of understanding, opening up, or coping with the previously unknown (Cropley, 1999)

Are you familiar with the Space War between the United States and the former Soviet Union, and how USSR won the race to the stars? Immediately after the “Sputnik shock” of the late 1950s, emphasis in the USA shifted to physical sciences and engineering, and creativity began to be seen as a way of keeping up with the competition (especially with the Soviet Union in the “space race”). Later, discussions on creativity became prominent in business, also with an overwhelming emphasis on meeting competition, this time for market and market shares.

More recently, the discussions have broadened again. Creativity is being seen as the only uniquely “human” characteristic, defining an area where, for instance, micro-electronics cannot go. In this view, creative thinking is a bastion of human dignity in an age where machines, especially computers, seem to be taking over routine skilled activities and everyday thinking. An extension of this point of view is to see creativity as an element of mental health. Through its perceived connection with flexibility, openness, courage and the like, which are themselves seen as both prerequisites for and results of a healthy personality, creativity is thought to foster positive adjustment to life. In the educational setting, creativity is seen as a special approach to learning that involves both “creative” teaching and “creative” learning strategies. As a Scouter, it is this aspect of creativity that should be tapped in you. And as you go through this Module, I hope that you find a lot of pointers to help you improve your strategies in handling the Scouts or Leaders entrusted to your care.

ChallengeHow about YOU? What is you personal definition of creativity? I am sure that you have gained a lot of insights after reading the discussion above. Feel free to write them on the space below._________________________________________________________________________

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Are you creative?With all that has been said and done about creativity, have we actually come up with a scale for measuring it? Is there a standard “barometer” for creativity, an infallible way to determine who among us possess that creative edge? What makes a creative person?

I am sure that those questions are running in your mind right now. Well, the answer is yes and no. Years and years of research by the world’s foremost authorities in the field of psychology have resulted in the development of a number of tests for creativity, the most popular of which are the Torrance tests. Aside from the standard paper and pencil tests, alternative methods for diagnosing creativity have also been developed. These include performance-based and portfolio-assessment, which involve the inspection of creative output.

I am sure that YOU also want to know if you have that creative streak in you. That is good. Your desire to assess YOUR own creativity will invariably lead to your seeking means to enhance it.

ChallengeThe following checklist is designed to help you obtain an estimate of your creative potential. The items were derived from the research literature dealing with characteristics of gifted and creative individuals. Let me remind you though that this is NOT a fool-proof way of measuring your creativity. This checklist, if answered with all HONESTY, can give you a good idea of your creativity profile. I suggest that you take time to reflect on each statement, and find out if you can indeed discern the mentioned traits in yourself. I hope you’ll enjoy going through the checklist! Feel free to write your insights on particular statements on a piece of paper.

Creativity Checklist (Adapted from Renzulli & Westberg, 1997)

Well, how did you find the checklist? Did it give you a better idea of your personal profile as a creative individual? I hope that the checklist also gave you an idea as to which creativity aspects you can still work on for improvement. The succeeding topic will help you know why you have certain limitations in creativity.

I demonstrate...

1. Imaginative thinking ability

2. A sense of humor

3. An Adventure

4. An adventure spirit or a willingness to take risks

5. The ability to generate a large number of ideas or solutions

to problems or questions

6. A tendency to see humor in situations that may not appear

to be humorous to others

7. The ability to adapt, improve or modify objects or ideas

8. An intellectual playfulness, a willingness to fantasize

and manipulate ideas

9. A non-conforming attitude

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“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” – Pablo Picasso

Why Are You Creative?

Born creative or made creative?In this lesson, you will learn about two different perspectives or approaches in viewing the causes of creativity in a person.

The first approach is the traits approach. In this perspective, creativity is viewed as something like an inherited trait passed on from a generation of creative people. Creativity is viewed as the

set of innate or inborn characteristics like that of intelligence or physical beauty present in certain generations of a family. Somehow, we can say here that people have different potentials to be creative and that the external factors of the environment may increase or develop a realization of this potential or may even affect the hindrance to its further build-up.

The second approach is the learned behavior approach. Here, creativity is defined as a set of learned skills and tendencies developed through life’s experiences. Unlike the previous approach, this perspective says that without experiences, creativity cannot be developed into something useful. This perspective also tells us that one person can become as creative as another through some sets of practices. The variations of creative accomplishments among different people are explained generally in the conditioning processes that they have experienced or undertaken. The role of the environment and its influences is one of the greatest factors defined here in the development and increase of a person’s creative generation of ideas.

Well, from reading the previous topics of this Module, I guess you have realized that the content

of this instructional material are more inclined towards the second perspective.

Obstacles to CreativityHow often do you find yourself saying, “I can’t do it” or “That’s the best thing I could think of”? One major obstacle to the growth of your creativity is NOT permitting yourself to be creative. Fear of criticism, lack of confidence and self-criticism will also hinder your creativity (Cave, 2000). If you think lowly of yourself or your work, it will show and will manifest itself; the more you believe it, the more you will become like it. The same goes for your beliefs and the strength of your ego. These may hinder your creativity in a sense that these will screen the information you receive and eliminate those who contradict your beliefs. Having a strong ego will further strengthen your beliefs, thus removing options from which you could choose; options which may be sources of creative outcomes. But of course, having beliefs is not a bad thing; you should only be aware of them and their limitations (Cave, 2000).

Aside from the way you psyche yourself up, your lifestyle can also be an obstacle to your creativity. Living a stressful life will really hamper the improvement of your creativity. A stressful lifestyle may include being too busy and being too preoccupied with a problem, not having enough time to relax or introspect, demanding immediate results, harsh words from self or others, rules preventing interaction among individuals, and strong competition (Cave, 2000). On the other end of the spectrum, a monotonous lifestyle, or one full of routines can also block your creative juices, if maintained for a long time. This kind of lifestyle will limit your responses, thus hindering your creativity.

“The worst crime is to leave a man’s hands empty. Men are born makers, with that primal simplicity in every maker since Adam.”

- Derek Walcott, 1930- , Omeros, Ch. xxviii, 2.

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ChallengeBelow is a short story about a Boy Scout. Read through it and circle as many obstacles to his creativity as you can find. Good luck!

Scout Ali is a shy Boy Scout. Whenever he is asked to share his ideas with his fellow Scouts, he always backs out. He believes that his ideas are not good enough, compared with those of his fellow Scouts’. Aside from that, he is afraid to be laughed at when he gives his opinions out loud. As a result, a fellow Scout made fun of Ali’s lack of confidence. He called Ali a coward after not being able to answer a hypothetical question asked by the Scoutmaster. This only drove Ali to further hide in his shell.

Checkpoint!This Checkpoint, just like other Checkpoints that you will encounter at the end of the Module has been designed to find out how well you understood the concepts that you learned as you went through the Module. True to its name, the Checkpoint is a gauge of what you learned about the topic discussed in the Module.

Do not be dismayed if you are not able to answer most of the questions correctly on your first try. Go back to the main text of the Module and try to answer the questions again. I assure you, your scores will be better.

Write the letter of the correct answer.

___ 1. In the 19th century, people believed that creativity had a strong association with-A. CompetitivenessB. IntelligenceC. MadnessD. Mystery

___ 2. Who is the famous Greek philosopher who discussed society’s need for creative individuals in his work Ion?A. AristotleB. CopernicusC. DescartesD. Plato

___ 3. Which event in the 1950s caused American educators to re-assess prevalent definitions of creativity?A. Atrocities in UgandaB. Launching of SputnikC. Conquest of the moonD. Invention of the Internet

___ 4. What concept of creativity is becoming prevalent in modern times?A. Creativity is needed by society.B. Creativity is an aesthetic quality.C. Creativity is important to maintain mental health.D. Creativity is important in business to capture market shares.

___ 5. Which educational aspect of creativity is most important for Scout Leaders?A. Nurturing creativity for economic gainsB. Creative strategies useful for leisure hoursC. Creative teaching and creative learning strategiesD. The evolution of different philosophies of creative thought

___ 6. Which of the following can be used to assess creativity?A. IQ testsB. Grade in schoolC. Objective assessmentD. Performance-based assessment

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___ 7. Which of the following is a widely-used test for creativity?A. IQ TestB. Torrance TestsC. Stanford-Binet Test for IntelligenceD. Myer–Briggs Personality Type Indicator

___ 8. Which trait is NOT a possible indicator of a high level of creativity?A. Stickler to traditionB. A non-conforming attitudeC. Exploring many alternativesD. Coming up with unusual responses

___ 9. Which is NOT an obstacle to creativity?A. Self-criticismB. Fear of criticismC. Lack of confidenceD. Having options to choose from

___10. Which lifestyle can be an obstacle to creativity?A. Practicing introspectionB. Trying to solve a problemC. Having enough time to relaxD. Demanding immediate results

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11-15. For numbers 11 to 15, identify to which type of obstacle to creativity the given hindrances belong. Choose from these two options:

A. Individual’s lifestyle B. Individual’s self-esteem

_____ 11. Fear of criticism_____ 12. Strength of ego_____ 13. Strong competition_____ 14. Demanding immediate results_____ 15. Being too preoccupied with a problem

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16-20. Choose the correct creativity approach by writing the letter of your answer.

A. Traits approach B. Learned-behavior approach

_____ 16. Creativity is something innate or already possessed once a person is born.

_____ 17. Levels of creativity in individuals vary and different individuals have different potentials to be creative.

_____ 18. This also called the “nurture approach.”

_____ 19. The role of the environment is one of the primary factors that affect creativity.

_____ 20. If you have parents with high levels of creativity, there is a high probability that you also have a high creative potential.

Finished? Now turn to Quick Check and see if you chose the right answers.

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Quick Check!

1. C In the 19th century, people believed that creativity had a strong association with madness.

2. D Plato wrote Ion.

3. B In the 1959’s the Soviet Union launched Sputnik winning the race to the stars.

4. C Creativity is thought to foster positive adjustment to life.

5. C In the educational setting, creativity is seen as a special approach to learning that involves

both “creative” teaching and “creative” learning strategies.

6. D Performance-based assessment enables you to demonstrate how creative your are.

7. B The Torrance Tests for Creativity is the most popular creativity test, having been

translated in several languages.

8. A Being a stickler to tradition can close your mind to unusual and unique ideas.

9. D Having options to choose from enables one to be creative—the more options the better.

10. D Demanding immediate results curtails creative thinking because creativity needs time—the

longer the better.

11. B

12. B

13. A

14. A

15. A

16. A

17. A

18. B

19. B

20. A

“Being creative is seeing the same thing as everybody else but thinking of something different.”

- Charles Cave

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ChallengeWhat do you think is the greatest obstacle to your creativity? Write a 10-sentence reflection about it and how you think it hinders your creativity.

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“To find something only I can do and do it somewhat.” - Rachel Pinney (describing the purpose of her life, 1909-95, from her obituary, Guardian, 8 Nov. 1995)

Lesson 2: At last: Improving Your Creativity!

ObjectivesAt the end of this lesson, you should be able to:• follow steps to improve your creativity• identify the guidelines for an effective brainstorming session and the factors that affect them

How to Overcome Obstacles to Your CreativityThe mentality of a creative individualBefore you read on, say this to yourself for at least five consecutive times:

“I am a creative individual.”

Remember: Believing yourself to be creative is a major step towards the improvement of your creativity. Believe that you are a creative being because you ARE a creative being.

Another way to overcome your obstacles is to trust your intuition. Know yourself well— the limitations of your beliefs and personality that may blind you to possible creative solutions (Cave, 2000). Recognizing your own abilities may also be a big help, especially in prioritizing which task to solve first and in budgeting your time and effort to multiple tasks to be accomplished. Be flexible; be open to other possible solutions.

And most important, don’t be afraid to fail (Cave, 2000). Being creative implies taking risks, but with planning. If your plan does not work for a problem you must solve, it doesn’t mean that your plan will never work. You can reserve it and try it on other problems. Besides, a negative result may lead to a new possibility, if you try hard enough.

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Suggested action steps towards an improved creativity. There are activities you can include in your lifestyle to remove the obstacles to your creativity. You certainly can try them to improve your creative competencies (Cave, 2000; LeBoeuf).

Keep a daily journal. Regularly write ideas and thoughts as soon as they form in your mind. This will aid you in not forgetting your bright and creative ideas and in developing them into better ones. This will also help relieve you from daily stress, and will surely improve how you express yourself in writing, and likewise improve your memory!

Get involved in relaxation activities like sports, games, and puzzles. Besides writing in your journal, it is important to give your mind a break so that your subconscious will have time to digest information. This will help in relieving you from stress. It will also keep you physically and mentally fit.

Don’t work TOO hard. You need some time to unwind after a period of intense focus. Give yourself a break.

Develop an interest in a variety of things. Being interested in other things, preferably those different from your normal field of work will keep your brain preoccupied with new things. Creative people often have interests in a wide variety of subjects. Acquiring a new hobby should help you.

Study books and/or attend courses on creative thinking. Hearing the experts’ tips will surely give you new ideas to further improve your creative competencies.

Travel. Going to new places and seeing new things will definitely give you fresh ideas, if you keep an open mind. Take photographs and write your experiences in your daily journal.

Read selectively and actively. Reading can be a very good tool to exercise your creativity, but only if you do it selectively and actively. Try reading on one subject through numerous perspectives. It is also good for your creativity to read texts which require lots of imagining.

Rely on yourself. Depend on your OWN ability to think. The more you think, the better you will be at it. If you only depend on others for a solution with you only following your instructions, your creative juices will dry up.

Be in an environment conducive to creativity. You can use music to cut down the obstacles to your creativity and to help you generate new ideas while working. Charles Thompson in his book What a Great Idea! suggests some criteria for background music you can use to stimulate an atmosphere conducive to creativity:

● Avoid music with lyrics. Instrumental music in any form can work well.● Avoid music which demands your attention.● Avoid music with great and sudden changes in amplitude.● Listen to music with sustained tones and subtle variations.

Surround yourself with creative people, and with people who love and support you. Nothing compares to the support and influence of people whom you care for and admire.

ChallengeBelow is another story of a Scoutmaster (SM). See if you can help him improve his creative competencies by listing down suggestions that he can do to promote a lifestyle conducive to creativity.

SM Andy is a very busy Scoutmaster. Although he only handles one-third of the Scouts of the first year level in high school, his Scouts never see him socializing with his fellow Scoutmasters. He is always checking his Scouts’ work and projects, reading Scout books and magazines, and preparing for the Troop meeting. It seems that he never runs out of work. He lives alone in a nearby apartment, because his family lives out of town. He has some relatives nearby, but he rarely visits them.

It is a pity that his Scouts don’t approach him very often because most of them find him intimidating, and they have the impression that their Scoutmaster doesn’t want to get personally involved with anybody, and just facilitates their activities. His Scouts call him “the SM Freak.”

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Brainstorming

“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.”-Linus Pauling

Now, you are about to familiarize yourself with a very effective way of generating creative and useful ideas.

Towards a social way of generating creative ideasThe previous techniques for enhancing creativity are more directed to a personal level of development, meaning, by following the suggestions in the lesson, your creative thinking will improve and you can use it in situations that you will encounter in life. It is more a preparation for the future. Here, you will become familiar with a technique of generating creative ideas that can be used in an immediate situation through the involvement in a group thinking activity.

Brainstorming is a process whereby members of a group present and afterwards discuss different ideas that can be useful in dealing with certain problems. Usually facilitated, these sessions are often done in group-related activities and have been proven one of the best ways in solving problems. Presented here are some guidelines for an effective brainstorming session (Osborn, 1963):

1. Deferred evaluation. Members of the group must agree that no immediate evaluation of “how good” or “how bad” a given proposal or idea must be made. It is considered the most important requirement in the brainstorming session.

2. Non-threatening situation. Telling immediately “how bad” a given idea is may cause a decrease in the generation of idea of the member who presented it since the comment might be perceived as an attack to his/her thinking ability. The sense of competition must be eliminated and members must always consider that the session is a cooperative action for solving a problem.

3. Positive, enthusiastic leadership. Aside from assuring a relaxed and positive environment with no threat of competition, the presence of a leader in this group activity is encouraged. This leader will facilitate the discussion, emphasizing the goals and constantly keeping track of the ideas being presented.

4. Unrestricted generation of ideas. Creativity is defined as thinking divergently from the norms, but generating productive outcomes. Like the other guidelines, this encourages the freedom to think creatively. The principle here is that from generating many different imaginable ideas possible, a best solution can emerge.

5. Encouragement of far-out solutions. Since everyone is free to contribute, consideration for somewhat weird or eccentric ideas must also be taken. It ensures greater opportunity to think. Who knows, maybe from these ideas you can come up with an easier perspective in dealing with your problems. But here, the leader must be alert not to let the attention of the group be directed away from the discussion because here, the members’ attention might be diverted to such weird ideas.

6. Embellishment of ideas. During the session, there may be a very long list of generated ideas and in this guideline the group may arrange the different ideas more relevant to each other, creating a more systematized list of possible solutions. It is simply reducing the broadness of the ideas for easier evaluation afterwards.

Though time limit is also present in most brainstorming sessions, it is more effective if it would be of lesser consideration compared to the other guidelines since simply limiting the time would mean simply limiting the incubation of idea generation. Instead, group members must use the element of time limit as a motivation for generating useful creative ideas.

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In Scouting, brainstorming sessions may be done with your fellow Scout leaders in thinking of different Scouting activities. You may also do it with your Scouts, sitting and discussing with them ideas on how they would like something to be done. Having their own ideas on an action does not only reflect their creativity, it may also help boost their confidence in seeing the development of the idea they have contributed.

I’m sure you have encountered many brainstorming sessions and have seen that these guidelines are hardly met. Do you think you can help improve the efficiency of future brainstorming sessions that you are going to participate in the future?

Checkpoint!

I. Match the obstacles to creativity under Column A with the corresponding steps that will overcome these obstacles under Column B.

How well did you do in this Checkpoint? It is quite easy, especially when you consider how different each obstacle is from another. If you did not get a perfect score, going back to the lesson will assist you in finally overcoming the blocks to your creativity.

II. Write the letter of the correct answer._____ 1. Though this may be considered as the primary pressure to a brainstorming session, it may also serve as a motivation or something that may hasten the generation of ideas of the members of the group. What is it?A. ShynessB. Time limitC. RestrictionsD. Socialization

_____ 2. What trait must members be free from during brainstorming so that they might be able to share their ideas?A. OpennessB. TalkativenessC. Divergent thinkingD. Conformist thinking

_____ 3. Which is important in a brainstorming session?A. Who gave the ideasB. Why the ideas were givenC. What kind of ideas came outD. How many ideas were generated

_____ 4. Which is a good question for a brainstorming session?A. How do you pitch a tent?B. What activities can Scouts engage in? C. When should a Scout wear his uniform?D. Why are Scouts turning in poor projects?

Column A Column B

____1. You're not permitting yourself to be creative. ____2. You have strong beliefs on certain issues.____3. You are afraid of being criticized.____4. You have monotonous lifestyle.____5. You often engage in strong competition.

____A. Don't be afraid to fall.____B. Develop an interest for various things.

____C. Open yourself to being creative.

____D. Be open to alternatives.

____E. Surround yourself with people who support you.

____F. Study books on creative thinking.

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5-10.Choose the right answer from among these choices.A. Deferred evaluationB. No evaluation of ideasC. Embellishment of ideasD. Non-threatening situationE. Leaderless brainstormingF. Unrestricted generation of ideasG. Positive, enthusiastic leadershipH. Encouragement of far-out solutions

_____ 5. This guideline tells you that while generating ideas, you must be able to properly order them so that during the decision-making process of what ideas are to be used, the choice would be easier to make since ideas are somewhat already organized. What is this guideline?

_____ 6. Which guideline lessens the fear of a group member to share an idea in generating problems?

_____ 7 Which guideline erases restrictions in ideas to be shared by the members involved in the brainstorming session?

_____ 8. Aside from saving time on making decisions too early, which guideline is considered the most important requirement in an effective brainstorming session?

_____ 9. Creativity is generally defined as thinking out-of-the-box. Which guideline best describes this creative aspect of brainstorming?

_____ 10. Which guideline requires the presence of a good guide for keeping the discussion in the right direction?

Quick Check!

I. 1. C II. 1. B 6. D2. D 2. D 7. F3. E 3. D 8. A4. B 4. B 9. H5. F 5. C 10. G

ChallengeA. Go back to your 10-sentence reflection in the Checkpoint in Lesson 1. In relation to it, write a 15-sentence essay on how you can overcome obstacle(s) to your creativity, including what you have learned in this lesson. Enjoy!

B. Try facilitating a brainstorming session with your Scouts / fellow leaders and decide on what activities you can do the following year. Be creative so that you can startle other Groups with your ingenuity. Be sure to consider what you have learned in the previous lessons; those will be very helpful. Good luck!

Sum It UpWhat did you learn about creativity? Finish the sentences below.

1. I am creative because...2. I can be more creative if...3. Something that prevents me from being creative is...

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References

Cave, C. (2000). Action steps for improving creative abilities. Creativity Web: Resources for creativity and innovation. Retrieved January 31, 2005, from http:// members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/index2.html

Cave, C. (2000). Enhancing creative competency. Creativity Web Resources for creativity and innovation. Retrieved January 31, 2005, from http://members.optusnet.com.au/ ~charles57/ Creative/index2.html

Cave, C. (2000). What can I do to increase my creativity? Creativity Web: Resources for creativity and innovation. Retrieved January 31, 2005 from http://members.optusnet. com.au/~charles57/ Creative/index2.html

Cohen, M. J. (2000). The Penguin thesaurus of quotations. London: Penguin Group, 15, 99.

Cropley, A.J (1999). Definitions of creativity. Encyclopedia of Creativity, Vol. 1. Academic Press. 511-524.

LeBouef, M. Develop your imagination by using it (Electronic version). Creative thinking.

Reilly, R. R. & Lewis E. L. (1984). Educational psychology. NY:Macmillan.

Renzulli, J & Westberg K.L. (1997). Scales for rating the behavioral characteristics of superior students. Creative Learning Press.

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Module on Motivation

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Introduction

Good day to you! I'm happy that you are now starting to read this module. Well, letme first introduce the topic of this module. Just like what you have read in the title page, this module is all about motivation. This module will serve as a short course in motivating Scouts.

I promise that this will be an exciting experience for you. But before you begin, just take time to analyze and answer the following questions:

Why am I reading this module?• Am I really interested about what motivation is all about? Or am I just curious?• Do I think it is important to be motivated?• Am I being pressured by other people to read and learn this module?

These questions, although simple, may not be easy to answer. It may take sometime to ponder on your replies.

Take your time and think about your answers, your real answers. Be sure that you have your answers in mind before continuing to the next page.

One important reason for reading this module is to gain skills in motivating Scouts.

Although this module may not cover all the possible situations, it does provide a needed link between knowledge and practice. I hope you can apply the information that you will learn in studying this module to some real life situations.

ObjectivesBy the time you have completed this module you should be able to:

Define what motivation is. Determine the importance of motivation. Differentiate intrinsic motivation from extrinsic motivation. Enumerate the characteristics that may be exhibited by motivated individuals. Differentiate the sources of motivation. Devise a particular strategy to motivate the Scouts to accomplish a certain task.

OutlineI. Motivation

A. Definition1. What is motivation?2. What is not motivation?

B. Types1. Intrinsic Motivation2. Extrinsic Motivation

C. Who needs motivation?D. What are the characteristics of motivated individuals?

II. Reason, Factors and Sources of MotivationA. NeedB. Intrinsic ProcessesC. Instrumental ProcessesD. External Self-conceptE. Internal Self-conceptF. Goal Internalization

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III. Strategies of Motivation

Lesson 1 What is motivation?

The 3-week, 2,287-mile Tour-de France, the world’s premier bicycle race, is one of the great tests of human motivation in sports. American Lance Armstrong won the Tour-de France cycling event not just once, but for three consecutive years –in 1999, 2000 and in 2001.

That was a remarkable accomplishment as Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. Chances of recovery were estimated at less than 50 percent when he began chemotherapy.

After the cancer was diagnosed, Lance said that the first thing he thought was, “Oh, no! My career is in jeopardy! Then they kept finding new problems and thy forgot about my career –I was more worried about getting to my next birthday. I had the same emotions when I was sick as I have as a competitive athlete. At first I was angry, then I felt motivated and driven to get better. And then when I knew I was getting better, I knew I was winning.”

Lance’s experience with cancer motivated him to think about his priorities in life. He says that the experience ultimately made him a happier and better person. He became a spokesperson for cancer and established the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports cancer awareness and research. He married and became a father.

When you are motivated, you do something. The way you feel —your emotions – can either strengthen or weaken your motivation. For Lance Armstrong, motivation and emotion placed a significant role in his recovery and accomplishments.

Quick Check!

Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is not.______ 1. Motivation increases the performance of an individual.______ 2. Motivation is enduring and constant.______ 3. Motivation is characterized by being energetic, directed and internally processed.______ 4. Motivation______ 5. Motivation is multidimensional.

“An unexamined life, is a life not worth living” -Sophocles

Stop! Be sure that you have completely answered the Quick Check before going to the next page.

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Answer to Quick Check1. True2. False3. True4. False5. True

Did you get all the answers correctly?

If not, well it's okay. It’s just a brain warmer. The next part of this lesson will help you freshen your memory and continue reading.

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”

Lesson ProperBefore you start, it its rational enough to define first what is motivation in the context of Scout leadership.

Motivation can be defined in different ways. Reeve (1996) defines motivation as an internal process that gives behavior its energy and direction.

There are three key words in his definition–energy, direction and internal process. Energy because a motivated person’s behavior is relatively strong, intense, and persistent. Direction mainly for the reason, the behavior itself is directed toward achieving a particular purpose or goal. And lastly, internally processed because Reeve believes that true motivation comes from within but he doesn’t disregard the presence of some external factors in the environment. Other definitions of motivation are as follows;

Motivation is the stimulus that causes a Scout to act in a particular way at a particular time.

Motivation can also be defined as the driving force that makes people do a particular action in a particular manner at a particular time. Answering questions like, “Why did s/he do it today?” or “What made her/him do it?” will further explain what motivation is.

Another definition of motivation can be the stimulus that encourages people to be better in what they do. Answering questions like “Why is s/he eager to do it?” and “Why does s/he want to achieve more?” will help explain this dimension of motivation.

Ferguson (2000) refers to motivation as an an external process that pushes or pulls the individual, and “pushes or pulls” relates to some external event.

Now that you have a pretty good idea on what motivation really is, the next question is “Who needs it?”

Well, the answer is everybody. Yes, even you as a Scout Leader needs it. The point is, every Scout in your Troop needs to be motivated to do his/her respective tasks, which is why you yourself need to learn motivation and be motivated.

Different people show different signs of motivation. So the question now is how would you know if a person is motivated enough to do a particular thing? The following list would be a big help to figure that out.

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1. Pays attention to the Scout Leader.

2. Begins work on tasks immediately.

3. Follows direction on tasks.

4. Maintains attention until tasks are completed.

5. Completes work.

6. Turns assignments on time.

7. Persists rather than gives up when work appears difficult.

8. Works independently.

9. Volunteers answers.

10. Test performance reflects skill level demonstrated on assignments.

11. Seeks help when it is needed.

12. Asks for help that will enable subsequent autonomy (rather than asking for the answer)

13. Is not upset by initial errors or difficulties

14. Enjoys challenging work

15. Works intensely (very focused)

16. Asks questions to expand knowledge beyond immediate lesson

17. Engages in learning activities that are not required

18. Is reluctant to stop working on tasks when highly engaged

19. Engages in leaning activities after assignments are completed

20. Appears happy, proud, enthusiastic and eager

21. Strives to improve skills, even when performing well relative to classmate

22. Initiates challenging learning activities on own

23. Works hard on tasks

If an individual happens to possess fourteen out of these twenty-three characteristics, s/he must really be motivated enough.

Next topic will be the two types of motivation, namely, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Internal outcomes can provide internal incentives, and incentive motivation of this type is called intrinsic motivation. When external outcomes provide external incentives, the incentive motivation is called extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation, is the innate propensity to engage one’s interests and exercise one’s capabilities, and, in doing so, to seek out and master optimal challenges (Deci & Ryan, 1985).

Intrinsic motivation provides a natural force that fosters learning and development, and it therefore can motivate behavior without the assistance of extrinsic rewards and pressures.

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is motivation that arises from external contingencies. It is also a means-to-an-end type of motivation in which the means is the behavior and the end is some attractive consequences.

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Checkpoint!

Once again, here is a test for your knowledge of the topic, which has been presented to you. Just take a deep breath and you can start answering the following questions.In your own words, kindly answer the following:

1. Define what motivation is.2. State what is the importance of motivation.3. What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?

Answers to Checkpoint

Time to check your answers!

1. For this particular item, you must have written at least one of its definitions or combinations of different definitions cited in Lesson I. And you should explain it in your own words.

2. Answer should be related also to the given definition. Well, close to this –motivation is important because it acts as an inner motivational resource to energize and direct behavior. It also creates the desire to exercise one’s skills and capabilities.

3. For this number you may opt to look at the latter part of the lesson proper on this lesson.

Activity

For the next few days, observe your Scouts. List down some observable behavior your Scouts have shown. Do you think they are motivated enough in what they are doing? Save this list for the next lesson.

Summary

Motivation can be defined as an internal process that gives behavior its energy and direction.

This is not the control or manipulation of people to do a particular task.

Motivation is important because it creates the desire to exercise one’s skills and capabilities.

There are two types of motivation –intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation provides the Scout with an innate motivational force to exert the effort necessary to exercise and develop skills and capabilities.

Extrinsic motivation is an environmentally created reason to carry out an action.

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Lesson 2: Reasons, Factors and Sources of Motivation

Hello there! Now that you have learned the definition of motivation, its importance and different characteristics that a motivated person may exhibit, the next step towards motivating your Scouts will be, knowing the reasons, factors and sources of motivation. I’m sure that this topic will be a big help in motivating young people to join Scouting or making those already in Scouting stay and further improve their performance.

To start the lesson, here’s a short story about a group of Scouts performing one of the common tasks Scouts do–hiking.

A group of Scouts supervised by their Scout Leader are hiking for a couple of kilometers up a mountain. Matt, one of the Scouts, is not responding to the task energetically. He finds hiking boring and just a waste of time. Tim, also a Scout, always complains, asking the Leader what he would get if he would be the first to reach the top of the mountain. Dan, on the other hand, does the activity enthusiastically, believing that it does have an importance. Mark walks with his friends, doing everything to impress the group. While Luke finds hiking very challenging, he also believes that at the end he will learn crucial values in this mission. Anyway, he always dreamt of becoming a forest ranger, so hiking would be a good practice for him.

Are the boys' attitudes familiar to you? Do you have Scouts like them in your Troop? Try to analyze their behavior to figure out what factors make them do or not do a particular tasks.

Well, this lesson will help you find out what the different factors are, as well as reasons and sources that motivate an individual.

Quick Check!To test how familiar you are with the topic of this lesson; here are five questions. Choose the letter of the appropriate answer and write it on the space provided before each number.

You are advised to answer this as fast as you can. Use a timer to monitor your work.

_____ 1. If a Scout’s motivation is enjoyment of the task, what is this type of motivation called?A. InstrumentalB. Intrinsic processC. External self-concept-basedD. Internal self-concept-based

_____ 2. Which of the following types of motivation require outside feedback?A. InstrumentalB. Intrinsic process motivationC. Extrinsic process motivationD. Goal internalization motivation

_____ 3. What need does an external self-concept-based individual want to fulfill first?A. ConfidenceB. RecognitionC. High self-esteemD. Group acceptance

_____ 4. When a Scout is goal-internalization motivated, where does her/his motivation primarily come from?A. his/her peersB. himself/herselfC. the organizationD. the Scout Leader

______ 5. Which of the following sources fulfill a need to have status?A. InstrumentalB. Intrinsic processC. External self-concept-basedD. Internal self-concept-based

Time Consumed: _____

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Answer to Quick Check1. C2. A3. D4. C5. B

Did you get all of the five items correctly in three minutes or less?

If so, then very good! You may opt not to read the lesson proper part, although it would also help you to freshen your memory for bigger tasks ahead of you. If not, it’s not a loss. The text in the following pages will surely help you understand different factors, reasons, and sources involving motivation.

Lesson ProperThe first lesson is about the definition of motivation, its characteristics and its importance. Now this lesson will discuss about sources of motivation, what drives people to do a task. To illustrate the different sources, we will use sample tasks that Scouts do in building a tent.

There are many theories about sources of human motivation. To make it clearer and not confusing, we will use the theory of Richard W. Scholl.

Some Scouts perform a task only because they find it enjoyable. Their motivation comes from the inside; outside feedback such as praise will have minimum effect for this particular individuals. A Scouts assigned to build a tent will do this only if s/he finds the task fun. This is an intrinsic process of motivation.

Others perform a task because of the reward the task promises after the completion. These rewards could be praise, exemption from chores, extra points or some material things. Their motivation comes from outside; outside feedback is very important to them. These individuals will only accomplish building a tent if there is reward waiting upon the completion of the task. This motivation is called instrumental motivation.

Another source of motivation is the need of being someone else through other people. This is called external self-concept-based motivation. The individual has an idea of a person s/he wants to be and s/he sees this in other persons. Because of that, s/he does a task to please the person or the group where the person belongs. In the process s/he will then be accepted, become part of the group and will gain a certain status. The feedback s/he needs is from the group or individuals s/he seeks acceptance from.

For example, a Scout helps in building a tent with his/her friends to please them. When they praise her/him or when s/he feels that her/his work is being appreciated, s/he feels more motivated.

If the former sees her/his ideal self in another person, s/he makes or builds her/his own ideal self by her/his standards. S/he will perform her/his task more enthusiastically if s/he sees the task as a step to further improve her/his being so to attain her/his maximum potential and at the end reach her/his ideal self.

For example, if s/he sees that tent building as a task that could make her/him more competent, s/he will do her/his best to accomplish it. This source is called internal-self-concept-motivation.

The last source of motivation is the correspondence of the individual’s beliefs to the goals of the task. An individual is performing enthusiastically if her/his sets of values, beliefs and goals support the cause of the particular task. This is popularly known as goal internalization process.

For example, the individual will be motivated to build a tent if s/he sees its importance in the whole context of Scouting.

Now that you have read about the different sources of human motivation here are the two major factors affecting motivation.

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NeedsIt is the nature of everyone to fulfill his/her needs. We breathe to fulfill our need to live. We hire security guards of our buildings to fulfill our need for safety. It is the same for your Scouts. Their needs are big factors on why they entered Scouting and perform the task they had to do.

The examples of these needs are the need to be accepted by a group, gain self-esteem and most of all the need to feel that they could do anything.

After fulfilling their needs, they are no longer motivating forces. We then develop other needs and fulfill these, and the cycle begins again. This process continues until we grow.

ReinforcementsSometimes, or I can say, most of the time, an individual do her/his tasks because of its consequences. These are the rewards, the ones given if the action is performed well and/or the punishments, the ones given if the action isn’t performed well or not performed at all, that s/he is to receive upon completion of the requirements. Individuals do their job to be praised and to avoid punishment.

This factor for motivation is widely used. Merit badge advancement and praise for an accomplishment are examples of rewards. Detention, demotion and criticisms on the other hand are examples of punishment. However, this factor shouldn’t always be considered.

When people expect rewards every time they do well in a certain job, consequences are, they will only perform task hat they are good at. They won’t even try out new things because they aren’t sure if they will do well in it. If, on the other hand, they receive punishment every time they commit a mistake, there will come a time when they will stop doing things. That is why this factor should be dealt with according to one's personality, along with other factors.

Now, rest your eyes and have a 15-minute break as you try to internalize what has been discussed in this module. This will help you prepare for a short quiz, coming up just right after your break.

Checkpoint!Now that you have learned the different sources of motivation, you can identify the motivational sources behind the actions of Mark, Luke, Dan, Tim, and Matt in the story at the beginning of the lesson. If you cant remember the story, you may turn the pages back to reread it. Write your answer in the spaces provided for.

1. Mark’s source of motivation

is_______________________________________________________________________

because__________________________________________________________________

2. Luke’s source of motivation

is_______________________________________________________________________

because__________________________________________________________________

3. Dan’s source of motivation

is_______________________________________________________________________

because__________________________________________________________________

4.Tim’s source of motivation

is_______________________________________________________________________

because__________________________________________________________________

5. Matt’s source of motivation

is_______________________________________________________________________

because _________________________________________________________________

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Answers to Checkpoint1. Matt’s motivational source is the intrinsic process. A Scout shows enthusiasm because s/he is enjoying the task. If you identified Matt’s motivational source incorrectly, it's okay, this item serves as a warm up. You’ll get it next time.

2. Tim’s source of motivation is identified as “instrumental.” This source means that the Scout performs well with the hope of getting a reward or recognition upon accomplishing the given task. If you answered instrumental, very good! I suppose you have mastered the topic. But if you happen to got the wrong one, it's okay but you are advised to read over the topic concerning this item.

3. If you identified Dan’s source of motivation as goal internalization, you got the right answer. If your answer is a different motivational source, don’t sweat it. Just be reminded that a Scout depicts goal internalization when s/he is driven by her/his belief that s/he corresponds to the objective of the task. Since Daniel does the work because he believes that finishing it is important in being a Scout, the aspect well known as goal internalization drives him.

4. Mark’s motivational source is external self-concept-based. Mark performs the task to impress his friends. He does this because he wants to be accepted in that particular group. And whenever that group praises him, he feels more motivated to do things. If you answered correctly, give yourself a tap at the back. You are doing pretty well. If not, don’t worry it's still okay. At least, you know now what the right answer is.

5. The answer to this item is internal self-concept-based. Luke’s motivation is identified as such because he does the task with the idea that it will help him achieve his goals and be a responsible forest ranger. He sees the mission as a step to reach his ideal self. If you answered it correctly, that’s nice. But if not, I know you learned something about the topic its just that what you have learned wasn’t included in the test.

Did you get all the items correctly?

If so, well done. But if not, don’t be too harsh on yourself. You can always go back to the lesson proper to see what went wrong. But if you find it too long, you may opt to read the summary part of this lesson. This is found at the latter part of each lesson, just right after the activity.

ActivityThink of a game or task simple enough but challenging for your Scouts. Puzzles, like Rubik’s cube or matchstick puzzles will do. Ask two or three of your Scouts to do the task. Observe their behavior before, during, and after performing the task. Note also the verbal and non-verbal expressions they may exhibit throughout the task.

After the job has been accomplished, here are the questions that you may ask of them.

1. Why did you do it?2. Did you enjoy it?3. What are your thoughts while doing it?4. How do you feel when you’re about to finish it?5. What are your thoughts now that you’re done with it?

Analyze their answers in the questions given above and figure out what their respective sources of motivation.

Now that you’re done with lesson two, you can now take a break while reading the summary of this lesson before continuing to the next lesson. You may again have your snack.

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Summary

Sources of Human Motivation1. INTRINSIC PROCESS Individuals will only engage in a task if they can consider it as funny. Individuals will direct goal-oriented tasks. Individuals will not be motivated by feedback.

2. INSTRUMENTAL Individuals will only engage in tasks that will lead them to certain outcomes, such as praise.

3. EXTERNALS Individuals are other-directed. They accept the role expectations of reference groups to derive their ideal selves. Individuals meet the expectations of others to satisfy reference group members, first gain acceptance, then status. Individuals need to be superior.

4.INTERNAL SELF-CONCEPT Individuals are inner-directed; they adopt criteria for the ideal self then strive to achieve their ideal selves. Individuals strive to be competent. Individuals see their efforts and ideas vital in achieving outcomes. Individuals will not put importance to feedback.

5. GOAL INTERNALIZATION Individual adopt attitudes and behaviors because their content is congruent with the value system. Individuals believe in the cause, and more importantly willing to work towards the goal of the cause.

Lesson 3 Motivational Strategies

I know that it has been a very exhausting task reading and digesting everything that has been written in this module. I commend you for not giving up and for reaching this far. You must be motivated enough to continue until this last lesson. Yeah, you read it right. it’s this last lesson!

Quick Check!But before proceeding to the last topic, which is motivational strategies, let's first have a quick brain warmer.

1. Which of the following is one of the most important factors in building expectations for success?A. ObjectivesB. Past successC. Self confidence D. Challenging task

2. In building confidence and positive expectations, goals should be the following EXCEPT one. Which is it?A. AttainableB. ClearC. ImmediateD. Specific

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3. The learning task itself should be characterized by the following, EXCEPT one. Which is it?A. AuthenticB. ChallengingC. FamiliarD. Fun

4. It is important for Scouts to create a finished product for them toA. stay focused B. develop self confidenceC. fulfill basic requirementsD. see the value of learning

5. Below are basic requirements to encourage motivation to learn, EXCEPT for one. Which is itA. Make the task worthwhile.B. Be a supportive teacher.C. Present rewards to the student.D. Provide an organized class environment.

Write the letter of your answers here:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stop! Don’t turn the page until you're done with the Quick Check.

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Answer to Quick Check1. B2. C3. C4. A5. C

If you got all the five items correctly, well done! But if not, it's okay. The lesson proper is coming up for you to know more about motivational strategies.

Lesson ProperStrategies to Encourage Motivation and Thoughtful Learning

Four Necessary Conditions1. The place must be relatively organized and free from constant interruption. In short, the place should be considerably conducive to learning.

2. The instructor must be a patient, supportive person who never embarrasses Scouts for mistakes.

3. The work must be challenging but reasonable. Remember, anything more or anything less may affect the performance of such individuals.

4. The learning task itself must be authentic ( Brophy, 1983; Brophy & Kner, 1986; Stipek, 1993). The task itself shouldn’t be the kind of work that can be done anytime of the day.

Until the conditions mentioned above are met, no motivational activities will succeed. But once all of these requirements are in place, there will be bundles of available strategies to choose from.

Before you proceed, you are advised to bear in mind the following questions as if you were the Scouts you are about to motivate later.

• Can I do it?• Do I want to do it?• What do I need to do to succeed?

Think of these questions. Ask yourself, what do these questions want to develop in me? What are these questions trying to point out?

Can I do it? Building Confidence and Positive ExpectationsOne of the most important factors in building expectations for success is past success. To ensure genuine progress:

1. Begin work at the Scouts' level and move in small steps. The pace should be brisk – not too fast but not too slow.

2. Make sure learning goals are clear, specific and possible to reach in the near future. Give information in chunks. Don’t give them too much of what they can intake for the present.

3. Stress self-comparison, not comparison with others. Give specific feedbacks and corrections. Also point out how much they have improved. And lastly, don’t you dare compare them with others. Competition is good as long as it is within boundaries.

4. Communicate to Scouts that skill can be improved and specific to task at hand. Don’t undermine your efforts to stress improvement by displaying only 100% achievement on the display board.

5. Model good problem solving. Try to have as least two ways of solving a given problem at the same time arriving to the correct answer.

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Do I want to do it?

Seeing the Value of Learning1. Attainment and Intrinsic Value

• connect learning task with the need of the Scouts• tie Troop and Patrol activities to the Scout's interest• arouse curiosity• make the learning task fun• make use of novelty and familiarity

2. Instrumental Value• when the connections are not obvious, explain it to your Scouts• provide incentives and rewards for learning• use ill-structured problems and authentic tasks

What Do I Need to Do to Succeed?Staying Focused on the Task

1. Give Scouts frequent opportunities to respond. Interaction will be a big help not just in motivating them but also in developing their personality.

2. Whenever possible, have the Scout finished a product. Accomplishments will serve a lot in developing persistency and focus.

3. Avoid heavy emphasis on badges and competition. You are after the Scout’s sense of task-involvement, not ego-involvement.

4. Reduce the task's risk without oversimplifying the task. Make the task simple but challenging.

5. Model motivation to learn for your Scouts. Share your own insights, beliefs and experiences. This may help them in the near future when faced with similar tasks.

6. Teach particular learning tactics. Teach the Scouts to learn not to memorize.

Checkpoint!Now that you have read the Strategies to Encourage Motivation to Learn, it's time for you to assess if you have absorbed these facts by answering the following questions to do exactly that. Answer the following questions as briefly as possible. You may write your answers on the space provided on the next page.

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1. The question “Can I do it?” develops what kind of motivational strategy?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is it important to have the Scouts create a finished product?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Give three important characteristics of a learning goal? Kindly explain each in just one or two

sentences.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Enumerate the four basic requirements for motivational strategies to succeed.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5. Why is it important to see the value of learning?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Answer SheetAre you done?

Check your answers for revisions, if you must. If you are already satisfied with your answers, you may proceed to the next page. There you may check it against the answers given.

Answers to CheckpointHere are the answers to the previous activity. Check your answers against this list.

1. It builds confidence and positive expectations.2. Accomplishments will serve a lot in developing persistency and focus.3. Learning goal should be clear, specific and attainable.4. Four Basic Requirements Provide an organized Scout environment Be a supportive leader Assign challenging work, but not too difficult Make tasks worthwhile

5. It is important because learning is more interesting, and motivation is increased, when Scouts feel personally involved and take pride in learning task.

You may find the explanation at the lesson proper part of Lesson II.

ActivityObserve another Unit Leader in your institution. Evaluate his or her strategies of motivating Scouts. You may use the list in the summary part of this lesson to figure out if he/she is doing the job well. You may learn some ways of motivating Scouts in his/her manner. You can also jot it down.

SummaryStrategies to Encourage Motivation to Learn

Fulfill Basic Requirements Provide an organized Scout environment Be a supportive leader Assign challenging work, but not too difficult Make tasks worthwhile

Build Confidence and Positive Expectations Begin work at the Scouts’ level Make learning goals clear, specific and attainable Stress self-comparison, not competition Communicate that skill can be improved Model good problem solving

Show the Value of Learning Connect the learning task to the needs of the Scouts Tie Patrol activities to the Scouts’ interest Arouse curiosity Make the learning task fun Make use of novelty and familiarity Explain connection between present learning and latter life Provide incentives and rewards, if needed

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Help Scouts Stay Focused on the Task Give Scouts frequent opportunities to respond. Provide opportunities for the Scouts to create a finished product. Avoid heavy emphasis on badges. Reduce task risk without oversimplifying the task. Model motivation to learn. Teach learning tactics.

Summarization ActivityYou must be very happy to finish this module. The only activity left is for me to check what you have learned in reading and doing the activities of this module.

On the next page is a picture of Scouts. Your goal is to complete the phrases that follow the picture. Write your answers on the space provided for. Please briefly explain it in your own words. Answers will be presented at the end of the module. Good Luck!

1. Motivation is ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. These Scouts are motivated because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Their motivation could be driven by ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. I could motivate them further by ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Learning is more interesting, motivation is increased, when Scouts feel personally involved and take pride in learning task.

Stop! Be sure that you have completely answered the Quick Check before going to the next page.

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Answer to Summarization Activity1. For this particular item, you must have written at least one of its definitions or combinations of different definitions cited in Lesson I. You could have also added its importance and its types –intrinsic and extrinsic.

2. Characteristics of a motivated individual are what you must have answered here. You can check your answers against the checklist in the Lesson Proper of Lesson 1: What is motivation? 3. This needs five sources of motivation, namely, intrinsic processes, instrumental, goal internalization, internal and external, self-concept-based. You may look all these five at the Summary of Lesson II: Reasons, Factors and Sources of Motivation.

4. What must have been written here are the Strategies to Encourage Motivation to Learn Summary of Lesson II: Motivational Strategies

BibliographyFerguson, E.D. (2000) Motivation: A biosocial and cognitive integration of motivation and emotion.Geen, R. (1995) Human motivation: A social psychological approach.Reeve, J.M. (1996) Motivating others: Nurturing inner motivational resources.Stipek, D. (2002). Motivation to learn: Integrating theory and practice.”Woolfolk, A. (2001) Educational psychology, 8

th ed.

Stop! Be sure that you have completely answered the Quick Check before going to the next page.

“An unexamined life, is a life not worth living” “A journey of a thousand miles start with a single step.”

-Sophocles

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Module on Planning and Organizing Activities

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Welcome!Hi! This is a module on planning and organizing activities. Most young people join

Scouting, in part, because of the promise of lots of action. The opportunity to go camping and to learn the associated skills translate into fun for them. As Scout Leader, it is essential that you understand how to make your activity calendar. Simply put, planning is setting the direction for something some system and then guiding the system to ― ―follow the direction.

Let’s take a quick look at some basic terms:

GoalsGoals are targets that must be accomplished in total, or in some combination, in order

to achieve some larger, overall result preferred from the system, for example, the mission

of an organization.

ObjectivesObjectives are specific accomplishments that must be done totally, in total, or in some

combination, to achieve the goals in the plan. Objectives are usually “milestones” along the way when implementing the strategies.

Strategies or ActivitiesThese are the methods or processes required totally, or in some combination, to

achieve the goals. In reference to systems, strategies are processes in the system.

TasksIn small organizations particularly, people are assigned various tasks required to

implement the plan. If the scope of the plan is very small, tasks and activities are often essentially the same.

Resources (and Budgets)Resources include the people, materials, technologies, money, etc., required to

implement the strategies or processes. The costs of these resources are often depicted in the form of a budget.

In reference to systems, resources are input to the system.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

Differentiate long-term from short-term planning; Set long-term and short-term goals according to the needs of your group

(e.g., in training); Form specific objectives leading to the fulfillment of these goals; Devise a strategy in order to successfully implement your activity; Formulate a criterion for the evaluation of your activity.

This module consists of four lessons, and you are expected to complete a lesson before moving on. Activities are prepared for you in every lesson; make sure you answer them to the best of your ability. Answers to the self-help activities may be found at the end of the module, but do not look at them while answering because this will defeat the purpose of these activities. The lessons are easy! You can complete one lesson a day. You may choose to move further on but it is recommended that you pause for reflection on the lesson after completing it.

Are you ready? Hey, remember to have fun while going through this module.Enjoy!

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Lesson 1: Long-term planning and Short-term planning

Quick check! Classify the phrases below as under either long-term planning or short-term planning.

Long-term planning Short-term planning

1._____________________________1._____________________________

2._____________________________2._____________________________

3._____________________________3._____________________________

Let’s begin!

What is Long-term Planning?Long-term planning differs from short-term planning basically because of covering a greater time span than short-term parts. It is generally called strategic planning. It deals with the big picture, the overall set of activities for a relatively long period. For Scouting, long-term planning is all about the overall plan of the Troop’s programme for the entire year.

• The long-term plan should basically contain the following:• Outline of program themes selected for the year• Suggested dates for activities and a list of interesting activities• Tentative dates of National, Regional, and Council events and Troop holidays

It would take time for you to complete your plan, so give yourself enough time and ample breathing space. Do your planning around summer, or on vacation months when you would have enough time to think about what you should include in your programme for the year.

Prepare the following before you start:• Idea books and magazines or other interesting printed materials• Programme planning kits• Calendar of events and year planner chart• Suggestion from members

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Where do you get ideas? Everywhere. But keep in mind that those ideas you get could be incorporated in the goals of Scouting. Look at ideas in two levels: 1. theme ideas 2. programme items. You might want to consider the following list of what the programme activities should provide opportunities for the Scouts: outdoors youth input badges/awards program environmental awareness spiritual emphasis community service membership/growth family/parental involvement training/leadership

Selecting a themeDevelop the skill of using flow charts/mind maps. This would be a handy tool in developing programmes with variety and interest. Take a ‘Base Theme’. Don’t pick single-word themes. Use your imagination, and try to think of phrases as themes, such as “The World and Beyond” or “The Hidden Spring.” Consider the following when selecting a base theme: Can the members relate to it? Is it wide enough to expand the program ideas? Can the program ideas on the theme incorporate appropriate skills? (fun, Scout skills, life skills, progress scheme)

Write down the base theme in the middle of a blank sheet. From here, work your flow chart “tree.” Add connected ideas and expand it as your flowchart branches outward. Those “branches” at the edge of the sheet would be your programme items. See if the programme items can be done as various interesting activities. But don’t overdo the branching, as specific activities would be handled in short-term planning meetings. Work on the program items depending on how many meetings the idea can be applied. Some items can be performed for 2-3 meetings or for 6-7 meetings. Work on those which could be completed easily.

Fill out your year planner chart considering the dates of annual events. See if you can apply your chosen theme for those events. You can pencil in an activity for each month. Keep in mind variety for each activity per month. Consider also the dates for training leaders of Troops as they would ensure the success of the planned activities.

What is Short-term Planning?Now that you have your long-term plan, let us look at short-term planning of activities. Short-term planning is generally tactical planning. It deals with the details, how to accomplish the various strategic elements that lead to achieving your goal/s.

In Scouting, short-term planning is all about the detail and timing of your proposed programme as part of your yearly programme. Activities planned here are those outer “branches” of your flow chart “tree.” They reflect the theme you have chosen for your annual programme. Short-term planning is usually done during weekly or monthly meetings of leaders of Troops.

How do we plan short-term activities?The essentials here are the following questions: Who What When Where How

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Again you need ideas on what activities to conduct based on your chosen theme for ideas. Remember to add variety to your activities. Use your imagination and look for ideas from television, magazines, handbooks, films, brainstorming, and also consult your members and other available resources. In addition, see if the programme items would incorporate the following:

fun Scout skills life skills progressive scheme

Initially you will have to think about what activity to conduct. Scouting activities are expected to be fun, challenging, out-of-doors. The purpose of Scouting in general would be to contribute to the development of Scouts spiritually, physically, intellectually, and socially. So make sure you consider these points in planning your activities. Refer also to your objectives as you plan. You should always refer to the main purpose of Scouting.

State the specific items: when and where you would conduct the activity; who would attend and what are their individual responsibilities; how are you going to conduct the activity? (Refer to Methodology Lesson). If you are in the middle of the year, you can start your planning meeting by reviewing the past month’s activities. Evaluate if your past activities had been effective (Refer to Evaluation Lesson). Write down notes of the things that need improvements. It would be handy if you could keep a “meeting book” to record your weekly or monthly meetings. You can refer to this for assessing your past activities and putting plan sheets of current planning meeting.

In brief...Long-term and Short-term planning differs in the length of time the plan is implemented. In Scouting, your short-term planning of activities is dependent on your annual long-term plan. So it is vital that you choose an appropriate theme for your activities, wherein you can incorporate Scouting and life skills. Also, keep in mind that your activities should be varied and fun. Scouting is a culminating activity for young people so it should be kept interesting and contribute to youth development.

Checkpoint!Create a flowchart/mind map of your plan of activities for the year. Get a blank sheet of

paper and put a theme you have chosen in the middle. Start to make your flowchart “tree” go by adding connected ideas into it. You need not to be too specific with your ideas.

Goodluck!

Help cornerDo you have further questions about the lesson? Or do you have notes you want to

remember or clarify? Write them down here.

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How do we set objectives?First, you must think about what you want to achieve:What do I want to do? Why?Where do I want to go? Why?

This is your aim or purpose, one level of objectives. Note that you must always ask: Why? Keep in mind the main purpose of Scouting: To contribute to the development of Scouts in achieving their full spiritual, physical, intellectual and social potential as individuals, good citizens, and members of their local, national and international communities. You must always consider if the activity you are planning would contribute to this purpose.

Next, think about what specific objectives you could set. Ask yourself the following questions:

- What will the Scouts be able to do as a result?- What exactly will be the end result?- When and how long must the activity be done?- What will be the criteria for success?- How will effectiveness of the activity be measured?

Always think ahead, keep your mind set like this: “At the end of the activity, the Scouts would be able to...”. You should focus on the end result of the activity. Were you able to achieve the purpose for conducting the activity? Did the result come up as what you originally had in mind? Weigh if after doing specific actions (activities) to gain output you achieved your purpose. Think of it as a cycle: you start with your purpose, then you enact specific actions to get output, then you check if your output makes you achieve your purpose. Set up your purpose and go back to your purpose after conducting the activity.

The time frame for conducting the activity is also important. You should always include the statement about how long you will do an activity as you write down its objectives. This will occasionally remind you if you will have enough time to conduct all the actions you want to include in your activity. You would be able to analyze if the time you allotted for the activity would suffice to achieve your purpose. The success of conducting the activity can be related to the amount of time you allotted in implementing it. In some cases, your activity would not be feasible if you alloted amount only a limited amount of time to accomplish it. This would be disastrous to your plan.

Points to consider: AssumptionsNote that the success of accomplishing your objectives is based on assumptions. These are statements about factors and events that you cannot have control over but will affect the achievement of the activity. You will need to assume that the actions you prescribed in your activity would actually be done by the individuals assigned to do the tasks. In the first place, you would assume that your purpose would actually be achieved. So make sure that your objectives would at least be feasible for you and your Troop. Consider the means of verifying your objectives, such as available research materials about Scouting activities, or even your Scouting Handbook. Practice working with your mind maps, set up flow charts, include possible actions and events either good or bad in achieving the purpose of your activity.

Make sure to write down your objectives. Share them with your colleagues and Troop. And lastly, review and refine them as needed.

In brief...Formulating objectives is an essential part of planning. It can spell success or failure of a plan. You should be careful to include specific parts of your objectives. Make sure that the members of your Troop understand the objectives and why they are formulated that way.

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Checkpoint!Try to set up objectives for a Troop activity, say an overnight camping. You can try making a flowchart of your ideas. Be sure to put your main objective on the star. Good luck, you can do it!

Help cornerDo you have further questions about the lesson? Or do you have notes you want to remember or clarify? Write them down here.

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Lesson 3 Programming an Activity

Quick check!Try this easy crossword puzzle.

Across:3. The Scout6. Enjoyable (synonym);boring (antonym)7. Al fresco8. Set of policies

Down:1. A role usually taken by the Troop Leader2. Your role as a leader to ensure the ______ of your Scouts4. Budget, supplies, capital5. Smaller unit of a Troop

Let’s begin!Before arriving at your goal, you have to lay out a specific plan of action, wherein you consider the best method to achieve the desired results. You can expand the essentials of setting short-term plans (who, what, when, where, how) to be able to program your activity accordingly:

Who will participate in this activity?Consider their age group, gender, and race. Is there anybody in the group who can be considered physically challenged? If the activity is meant for everybody, then no one should feel left out because of certain limitations.

However, the entire group should not be bound by the limitations of one person only. That is why you have to think of an activity that can involve everyone. In cases wherein this may not be possible, provide options for the ones who might be left out. Their enthusiasm will wane a bit, so make sure that the optional activities that you set are as interesting as the one they missed.

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Who will do the preparations for the activity?Talk among you and the other Troop Leaders to see who is most qualified for a specific activity. Consider your expertise and connections, and be careful not to overload one person with too many responsibilities. Distribute the work among yourselves to ensure that everything is prepared before an activity.

Who will facilitate the activity?Normally, a Troop Leader facilitates his own Troop during an activity, but there are cases when there is someone more competent for this job, for example, in extreme outdoor settings, which involve rappelling, caving, and wall climbing, it is best to ask an expert to orient the Scouts. He should be very familiar not only with the gear to be used in these activities, but also with the area where these are to be conducted, as well.

Who are the backup people needed?Every leader should be involved in an activity one way or another. Make sure there are people who can replace the primary persons involved in case something comes up. It is also advisable to designate at least one observer to evaluate the activity from a third person’s point of view, as the other leaders might be too immersed in their responsibility.

What activity should You use?This basically depends on the outcome of your long-term and short-term planning. Let us review some of the points which you must consider in choosing your activities. They should:

Contribute to the development of Scouts spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially;Be fun;Challenging;Most of the time, out of doors.

There is a wide variety of Scouting activities you can choose from. Single out the best activity considering your long and short-term goals. Let your creative juices flow! [See module on Creativity for help]. For younger Scouts who cannot go on long hikes, incorporate an activity during your short hike.

For example,

Blind HikeMaterials: A blindfold for every pair of Scouts. One Scout is blindfolded and the other slowly leads him/her through a hike, reminding him/her about roots, dips, holes, etc., but describing what s/he sees. The blindfolded Scout listens, touches, and smells what the partner describes.

This is ideal for a walk in a nearby park. It gives a different dimension to a quite-familiar place, and teaches Scouts to sharpen other senses when one is “lost.” It also gives them a glimpse of how it feels to be blind, and therefore makes them more compassionate and less discriminatory about people with exceptionalities.

What resources do You need?List down what materials you need in order to carry out an activity. Set a deadline for the procurement of these items. Double-check to make sure you have everything ready. Gear and equipment should be prepared and checked for safety long beforehand. Other materials which Scouts might need to gather before and during the activity itself should be readily available around the area and should not damage the environment. [Refer to the module on Management of Resources for more information]. Remember the slogan: “Take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints; kill nothing but time.”

What are the safety points to be considered in an activity?Refer to the “Sweet 16” of BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Safety. Remember that it is your duty as a leader to ensure the safety of your Scouts. But don’t overdo it! Too much precaution might take away the thrill, hence the “fun part” of your activities.

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When do you hold the activity?Your calendar of activities should represent the goals you want to achieve, in similar order. Outdoor activities, like jamborees and cook-outs, however, should be planned in accordance with the seasons. Consider the activities of your Scouts, because Scouting is an activity that aims to teach life skills in a fun way, and it should not interfere with the regular school load of the young people involved. Base your activity calendar on the school calendar to avoid conflicting schedules. Camping and other outdoor activities are best held when the exams are just over and the Scouts need to take a breath of fresh air and unwind a bit.

Of course, you cannot expect the weather to be agreeable at all times. Most leaders feel it is bad omen to plan for the rain and wait till it’s falling in buckets before they think up of something to keep the Scouts amused. Here’s a suggestion: think up of some activities which can keep Scouts busy out of the rain, then gather the materials you think you might need to be able to carry out these ideas and put them in a box. Label it “Rainy Day Box.” In cases where the normal camp activities can no longer be followed due to heavy rain, bring the box out and see what can interest the Scouts.

Where will you conduct the activity?Indoors or outdoors? Do we go out of town or explore other options within the town?It all depends on the kind of activity you will be conducting. Some activities belong indoors, and some, outdoors. You can spice up an old activity by going to a new location, or mellow an extreme sport by taking it indoors or putting it on a smaller scale. When going out of the regular meeting place, be sure that the area you plan to go to is available for use. Contact the person in charge of the area for reservations, if possible. Presence of non-participants in the area might affect your programme. There are activities, however, which can be done around other people. Always make sure your chosen location is best fit for your objectives in your activity.

How will you group the Scouts?By Patrols, other groups, pairs, or individually? Few Scout activities require individual participation. The usual groups are the buddy, Patrol and Troop systems. The buddy system is commonly used during hiking and expedition trips, and also during program breaks. The Patrol system is most used, and it provides an avenue for competition because the Scouts view their Patrols as their little family.

How will the activity be conducted?Familiarize yourself with the activity you want to do and come up with a clear set of instructions and rules. Make them as simple as you can so as to avoid confusion and misunderstanding during the activity. Be sure that the Scouts understand the problem they must solve or the skill to be learned before they begin.

As a leader, you help Scouts get the most out of these activities by discussing or reflecting on the experience soon after it is completed. Much of the value and “values” of Scouting lie beneath the surface. It is easy to see the activities that keep young people busy, less easy to see the real purpose and benefit of these activities. But remember, Scouting should not only be fun for the Scouts but for you as well! So plan your activities well ahead of time and enjoy the learning experience with your Scouts.

Check point!Make a summarized list of questions that were mentioned in the lesson. You may use this list as your guide every time you plan an activity. Try to answer them according to your Troop's conditions. Write them down! You will need this when you evaluate your activities.

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Lesson 4 Implementation and evaluation

Warm upArrange the letters in each box to find the meaning of implementation.

Quick Check!Supply the shapes with phrases that define evaluation. You can choose from the phrases listed above.

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Let's Begin!The implementation part is of course, important, since you’ll put everything to test. We can also call this the APPLICATION Part.

Let us first define the term evaluation.

What is evaluation?Evaluation is the process of assigning “worth” or determining the “value” of a program or activity. When we evaluate, we collect information about a program’s actual input and/or outcomes and then compare that information to some preset standards or expectations, and a judgment is made about the programme or activity. It should be noted that the standards or desired qualities or conditions against which program outcomes are measured come straight from the written goals and objectives of the program.

Evaluation is assessing and judging the value of a piece of work, an organization or a service. Its main purpose is to help an organization reflect on what it is trying to achieve, assessing how far it is succeeding, and identify required changes.

Why evaluate?We evaluate for the following reasons:• Ensure quality• Justify approach• Produce evidence • Develop understanding• Introduce something new• Improve practice• Research and understanding • New techniques• Portfolio• Professional development

We evaluate all the time. It’s an everyday part of our lives. We do it all the time.

Evaluation can take place anytime:• before or at the beginning to establish the needs• at regular intervals• at the end of the activity or project

How do we evaluate?Here are some tips to guide you in evaluating a plan or activity.• Ask yourself: Have I met my objectives?• Ask the members and leaders to review the activities they have taken part in• What went well?• What difficulties occurred?• What should we do in the future?

• List the linking activities and check the frequency and type of the activity• Discuss with members of other sections their perception, knowledge and understanding of the plan. List the success of the transfer of members in the allotted period.

Evaluation has tremendous potential for helping us make positive changes in our own lives and in the lives of our programme and organization. Careful, fair, and diplomatic evaluation will provide program planners and providers with information critical to success in meeting their short-term objectives and long-range goals. It is also necessary for the understanding that must be developed for us to learn why something works, so that we may continue to improve.

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Checkpoint!

A. Now that you have learned the approaches to planning and organizing activities, you can make you own plan of activities. If you wish, you can return to the previous lessons for reference. Try your best!

B. Do an evaluation of the last activity your Troop conducted. Write down the questions cited before and supply the answers based on your last activity. Include also a comment/recommendation for the said activity. Good luck!

Help Corner

Do you have further questions about the lesson? Or do you have notes you want to remember or clarify? Write them down here.

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Answers to Activities

Lesson 1Quick Check!

Long-term planning:1. planning for a year2. needs a theme from where activities would base3. considers dates of national, regional and council events

Short-term planning:1. planning for the week2. activities based on pre-defined themes3. activity would be done in the near future relative to date planned

Lesson 2Quick Check!

1. An objective is basically something we want or hope to achieve.2. An assumption is fact or statement that is supposed as true, thus taken for granted.3. Time is the measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues.4. An activity is a form of organized, supervised, often extra-curricular recreation.5. A purpose is something set up as an end result to be attained.

Lesson 3 Quick Check!

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Lesson 4Quick Check!

Warm up!

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Management of Resources in Scouting

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Getting started!An essential part of responsibility in leadership and Scouting is how a person manages

his/her time. We hope that this module will motivate you to start taking responsibility for how you spend your time. This module will provide self-instructural activities that will enhance your goal-setting skills, in relation to Scouting, to a productive result. Kindly take note of the tips and quotes attached and feel free to answer the Think-a-Thon and Query to Ponder. And finally, enjoy yourself in working “Work IT” and writing your ideas and related experiences in the Journal Entry.

Aim high!After completing this module, you should be able to: Enumerate the significance of time management in Scouting Avoid the dangers in time management Develop a time management plan/schedule Apply the principles of time management in Scouting

Interest building

To the Scout Leader,

“Be Prepared”, this quote had been in my mind for my 9 years of active participation in the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. It has been my goal since I joined Scouting. I have been a member, a leader and sometimes an assistant of the staff in our school. But I never earned a badge. I rarely attended important activities, which were required to earn a specific badge. I always forgot the activities and always ended up cramming, which resulted to the opposite to the quote.

I am always pressured when it comes to budgeting my time because I don’t know what to do when all the activities are scheduled with a small span of time and have only a week before to prepare. The outcome of my poor time management also affects my Patrol in Scouting. Instead of motivating them to follow the quote and be a model to them, I end up, as inferior to my subordinates. How pathetic!

It was later in my high school life that I learned time management, when I attended a leadership training in our school. But my change of responsibility for spending time still was not enough to earn a badge. Nevertheless, I am glad that I discovered the principles of time management and apply it not just in Scouts but also in my everyday life relations, study habits, meeting and even at exams. My advice is...being a member of an organization like the Scouts greatly demands your precious time and effort. Due to the lots of in and out of school activities and even out of the country camps that the organization offers, a Scout Leader shoulders great responsibility in the fulfillment of the organization's projects. The key to success in this is an updated time management plan. How? Start by actively participating in this Self-Instructional Module (SIM).

Enjoy!!!

Query to Ponder!Don’t worry guys; this is not the evaluation part yet. These will serve as guide

questions for your Journal entry in the latter section of this module.

Sit back and internalize...see yah in the Journal Entry.

Reminisce your first day in Scouting. What were your goals? Have you attained them even not knowing the principles of time management? Or the other way around, how useful has it been to you?

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Think-a-thonRead each question carefully. Choose and write your answer on the space provided for you. Don’t get troubled! It’s okay if you commit mistakes. Remember, we are just trying out if you have a bit of background about the lesson.

______1. What is the act of putting something off that needs to be done?A. Activity C. ProcrastinationB. Decision-making D. Scouting

______2. What is the process of putting schedules, priorities, and plans on paper?A. Bookeeping C. RecordingB. Note-taking D. Scheduling

_______3. What is the result of an activity that you want to achieve? It should be measurable, and involve elements of time and reasonable risk.A. Evaluation C. GoalB. Management D. Timetable

_______4. What is the means of getting results through and with other people? It involves planning, organizing, directing, controlling, motivating and decision-making.A. Action C. ManagementB. Doing D. Timetable

_______5. What are the keys to improving your performance in decision-making?A. Choice C. choice, control and reviewB. Choice and control D. choice, control, review and conserve

_______6. What is the precious thing that does not discriminate everyone? It cannot be manipulated and changed by anyone when it passes.A. God C. NatureB. Management D. Time

_______7. Which is not an example of time management?A. Prioritizing activitiesB. Dealing with procrastinationC. Arranging and planning a Keep BookD. Organizing long and short-term goals

_______8. What is a way of taking responsibility for how you spend your time?A. Time control C. Responsible TimeA. Time-on-task D. Time management

________9. Which is NOT a characteristic of a Goal?A. Measurable C. SpecificB. Agreed D. Realistic

_______10. When should you schedule the most difficult activities? When you are..A. busiest C. most alertB. happiest D. most reflective

Well, how was it? You can now let your facilitator check your answers. The answers are at the end of this module. It’s okay if you got wrong answers. It’s just to test if you can continue reading this module or not.

Hope you're now ready to discuss everything about time management in Scouting. We now go to the discussion proper.

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Let's Begin!According to Carter (1999) “Time is one of our most valuable and precious resources. Unlike money, opportunity, or connections, time doesn’t discriminate—everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day every day.” Time runs and unlike runners, we cannot manipulate, change or stop time. So what can we do with this resource? Well, it just takes managing. Step by step process of time management.

These are tips about Time Management Skills”

• Effective time management helps you get things done in the time you have, and with the resources available.• Events do not cause the reactions you experience. You do!• No one has the power to determine your emotional and behavioral reactions but you.

As a Scout Leader, your decisions affect the use of your time and that of the people around you like your Troop members and staff. When you are facing multiple demands or conflicting activities, time management helps you make decisions about how best to use your time, especially during Scouting month when there are so many activities going on at the same time.

Principles of Time management:• A Goal is what you want to achieve as a result of an activity: That result should be measurable, and involve elements of time and reasonable risk.• A short-term goal is what you can achieve for a short period of time like your goals for this week or month.• A long-term goal is what you can achieve for a longer period of time, like for a year, mid-year, or even more than a year.• To earn a badge for the protection and conservation of the environment is a long-term goal.

Setting a goal motivates you to do certain tasks or activities. It is also a practical way of giving value to your life. After accomplishing a goal, isn’t it a success, don't you feel good?

Work it outDiscuss with your Troop members their goals in Scouting. List them in your Journal. Then, examine if they follow the characteristics of a goal and if they are shroth-term or long-term goals.

An Activity is what you do to accomplish a goal. It is the foundation of your goals.Attend seminars, camps and make a project proposal for the environment are the activities to earn the Environment Badge.

But all activities do have its advantages and disadvantages so choose an activity that is worthy to undergo. Weigh the importance of an activity.Playing computer games and gossiping are not that important to achieve a badge in Scouting.

Managing means getting results through and with other people. It involves planning, organizing, directing, controlling, motivating and decision-making.

Giving time in managing the activities in Scouting ahead and not hours before the event is important for time management to be effective. Avoid being pressured.

Doing means performing an activity, whether or not there is someone else available to do it.

The activities you plan should be on paper only. They need action to do it. You can write notes in your Keep Book to motivate you to do the planned activities. Think, plan, record, revise and do.

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Quote and QuoteLead group discussion of decisions currently facing participants in Scouting. You are not making decisions every moment of your day. Some are easy and you do not even realize you're making them; others are so complex that they may require hundreds of small decisions to accomplish them.

Decision-making is not an objective type of exam that you need to memorize. It demands a top priority because it affects your time. How fast do you decide things and how well do you prioritize the level of importance of your decision?

For decision making—remember, there are two keys to improving your performance:1. choice 2. control

When making decisions, try to follow these guidelines:

• Identify the activities at hand. You have a choice.• Relate each activity to your goal and how that activity relates to that goal. Is that goal really the one you want or someone has imposed on you?• Generate a small action plan that fits into your larger plan. It could be in your head, not written down.

Present steps for developing a plan• Define each activity into tasks. List each task.• Determine the sequence for these tasks taking into consideration the time requirements and constraints.• Determine deadlines for the activities and tasks.• Delegate, delegate, delegate!!!• Anticipate constraints and obstacles: develop contingency plans.

Work it out!Try to develop your plan by taking into consideration the steps above.Consider also the next questions as a guide for your plan making.What resources will you need - personnel, facilities and materials?What is the cost? Do not spend all your resources up front.

Every solution has its drawbacks. We can encounter problems like procrastination that distracts us from pursuing time management.

Time management seems like a very sensible approach, yet many people never really learn to manage their time. If you are having a problem with time management, consider the following suggestions from Module “Time management skills”:

1.Review your long-term and intermediate goals often. Keep a list where you will see it often.

2. Continually try to eliminate unnecessary tasks that are not related to your goals or to maintaining a balanced life style.

3. Take advantage of your natural cycle; schedule the most difficult activities when you are sharpest.

4. Learn to say “No” to people, including spouses, friends, children, and parents.

5. Reward yourself for effective time management.

6. Solicit cooperation from those around you. Let your spouse, family members, roommate, and others know about your efforts to manage time.

7. Attend to your needs for spontaneity.

8. Do not set yourself up to fail. Be realistic and work toward an individualized approach that makes sense to you.

9. Record things — put schedules, priorities, and plans on paper.

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ProcrastinationThe act of putting something off that needs to be done. It occurs when you postpone unpleasant or burdensome tasks.

Activating muscles!To apply what you have learned in the discussion, here is a simple activity just for you.

Make a to-do list for what you have to do this week in Scouting or even your other activity. Include events, activities, meeting and all the important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. Then, number them according to your preferred priority. Arrange them accordingly in your date book with allotted hours or time. Afterwards, write notes on how to evaluate this process. Do you still have time to finish your work in Scouting or are you loaded with other activities? You need to prioritize things to come up with an effective scheduling.

Did scheduling help you? How did it make a difference? It is quite difficult at first as if it is wasting time. But if you find it helpful, you can make it a regular habit.

Think TankI know you're familiar with this type of SAQ, the true or false. Write T if the answer is TRUE and F if it is FALSE.

_______1. Prioritizing enables you to use your date book with maximum efficiency._______2. Cramming is very helpful in time management._______3. Time is one of the most valuable and precious resource._______4. Keeping a calendar on the wall with a time-and-activity map will help you stay aware of important events._______5. Procrastination is necessary when managing your time._______6. Time management is for leaders and Scouts only._______7. Planning your schedule is a burden and a waste of time._______8. Procrastination is natural, but it can cause you problems if you let it get the best of you._______9. The judgment of others can also intimidate you into not taking responsibilities for your time._______10. How you spend your time is an essential part of responsibility.

Isn’t it easy? Keep answering.

Summing up!After knowing the important things about time management, this is your time to write a letter to us; inscribe your comments, your suggestions and learning about the lesson in time management in this module. It is to see if you can summarize the module.

Journal EntryThis is your time to go back to your answers to the “Query to Ponder” and “Work it” boxes of this module. This is the space provided for your ideas and experiences in relation to the guide questions.

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A Scout's Role in Managing Natural Resources

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A Scout’s role in managing natural resources

Getting Ready!

Dear Scout Leader,

Great job!

You are down with the first lesson in this module. I am sure that you will find this equally easy like the first one!

As a Scout Leader, I am positive that you know Scouting is not just about indoor activities. As fun as it should be educational, a lot of activities take place outside the school. Scouting is also about environmental awareness. To add some more to this, we know that as Scouts, we are challenged to keep our promise in taking care of the resources we have in our environment. But just how can we keep this promise? Well, this is what this lesson is about! As a Scout Leader in charge of guiding young Scouts, how can you manage the natural resources you have in your area? What activities can you do to apply this knowledge? I hope you will be able to do these with the help of this module! Don’t worry; I know you can do it!

Aim high!At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Define what natural resources are; Enumerate the values and principles of conserving and managing natural resources; Describe the different natural resources; Enumerate the ways on how natural resources can be managed properly by Scouts; Create activities that apply the proper management and conservation of natural resources.

Think-A-ThonNow, let us see how much you know!

Read each question carefully. Choose and write your answer on the space provided. Don’t get troubled! It’s okay if you commit mistakes. Remember, we are just trying out if you have a bit of background about the lesson.

_____1. What do we call any portion of the natural environment that we humans can use to sustain our well-being?

A. Human resource C. Man-made resourceB. Natural resource D. Technological resource

_____2. What do we call the structured and prohibited handling of resources for the advantage of humans and the environment?

A. Conservation C. Resource managementB. Reforestation D. Environmental monitoring

_____3. What is the first step done in managing resources?A. PlanningB. Setting of objectivesC. Collecting informationD. Coordination with environment bureaus

_____4. What natural resources are predominated by trees and plant cover?A. Forest C. WildlifeB. Dew D. Aquatic

_____5. In wildlife resources, what uncontrollable factor greatly affects the food supply of animals?

A. Climate C. VegetationB. Humans D. Weather

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_____6. What composes three quarters of the earth, which is also a very useful natural resource?

A. Air C. SoilB. Minerals D. Water

_____7. While managing wildlife animals, at the same time, what is also being managed?A. Habitat C. Human impactB. Food supply D. Water supply

That was quite easy! Did you get every correct answer? If not, it’s okay! Anyway, you can look at the answers at the end of this module so you’ll know where you went wrong. And to help you understand the topic more, let’s start the text. I think you can handle this pretty well!

Let's Begin!

What are natural resources?

Natural resources are any part of the natural environment that we humans can use to sustain our well-being. What are these natural resources then? Well, these are the forests, wildlife, and water. Actually, there are more, but let’s focus on these three because they are the most widely used in Scout activities. These resources come in handy when Scouts go to camp.

But wait! Not all these resources can go on forever! That’s why as Scouts, we are challenged to know their value so we can also learn how to conserve and manage them properly!

Work it!Hey, Scout Leader! Now, it’s time to practice those thinking skills! Don’t worry, this is just a simple activity that will guide you in your Journal Entry.

Together with another Scout Leader, discuss the specific means by which natural resources aid Scouting activities. You may do this by thinking first of two to three scouting activities, which you have experienced.

Remember this! Be vocal in sharing your thoughts! Two heads are always better than one, isn’t it?

Keep this in mind!Actions and principlesHello again! Now that you know what natural resources are, I think it is important for you to know first some basic actions and principles in the conservation and management of natural resources. Read on then! This information can even help you in the next tasks, as you think of your own activities for the Scouts you are handling. It’s like catching two birds with one stone, right? For as you do this, you also think of managing natural resource, as well!

Okay, so what are these actions and principles, then?

a. It is important that we recognize and accept our own personal responsibility. This is seen in our being stewards or caretakers of nature. No to individualism! Let’s take out the attitude of, “I’m just one person, what can I do?” or “I already have other problems, so why shoulder this nature-problem?!”

b. Let’s live contentedly with the smallest extinction to the habitats of other living things.As we regard our safety, health and basic comforts and wants as the dominant species, we still should consider the conservation of these resources. Stop the thoughtless and abusive ruin of endangered species!

c. Know the ONLY important resources we need in order for us to live as balanced as we can. What do we direly need? Let’s stop being capricious! Remember, needs first before wants!

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d. Make use of materials in the most economic way.It’s okay if we think of desirable plans, as long as they are possible! If not, well, this may just be another waste of resources. Why need flying cars, if now we still can’t discover ways to conserve energy?

See? It all boils down to us, humans! Our hands are powerful enough to decide on nature’s plight! Again, try considering these ideas in preparing activities to conserve natural resources. Later on, you will be encountering the natural resources and the proper management that go with them. I hope you are still with me in this! Just have fun!

Work it!Here are some activities that you usually do in Scouting. Think about them for a while. After doing this, think of how can those principles and actions be best applied in the given activities? Think of how you can be resourceful! You may form a group of five members and work together. Do not hesitate to go back to the text if you are a bit puzzled, okay?

Don’t forget to record your experiences in the Journal Entry!!!

Activities:Beach Clean-up DriveEnvironment Education DiscussionTree Planting Activity

Stop! Quite a long brainstorming, right? Hmmm I think you deserve a few good minutes of break after this. But don’t take too long! Mind you, we are coming close to the most exciting part of the lesson! Enjoy your break!

Nurturing but how?

Welcome back!

As an experienced Scout Leader, you must have developed a sense of responsibility in the management of forests, aquatic resources, and wildlife. Well, that’s a good start! But with responsibility comes the ability, right? So, given the resource, how exactly can we nurture nature? Well, prepare yourself for this big challenge. Here’s how!

Start off with the basics first!

What is Resource Management?

To put it simply, resource management is the organized and prohibited handling of resources for the advantage of humans and their environment. It also includes the expansion of the lives of different resources for the longest time that they could be maintained.

Again, what can be done?

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Consider this BIG BIG BIG CHALLENGE!At first, you might find it quite difficult to transform these next ideas into worthwhile activities. Take note that the chart focuses more about intensive and serious natural resource management. But hey, you can even propose a big project using this! Go gather your Scouts and start discussing!

Here’s a flow chart to make it simpler!

Try discussing this with two of your other Scout Leaders.

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What are the resources to be managed?First stop, the forest. Let’s admit it! It is our favorite venue for Scouting activities, such as hikes, camps, and nature tripping! It is rich in trees, which are the dominant form of vegetation. Moreover, forests provide habitat for numerous species of birds, animals, insects, and reptiles. What do we get from forests? Well, we use them for logging, hunting, fishing, hiking, and of course camping! The roots of these trees hold on to the soil to prevent flooding and erosion.

Suppose you are planning to have a hike with your Troop, how will you make them learn proper conservation of the forest? You can play a game that will best observe good manners while hiking. For more knowledge, as you are walking, try naming trees and other plants, and see what species are starting to get smaller by the number. Then you can carry out a tree planting activity! See, it’s easy! I know you can think of better plans than what I have thought of!

Stop Here!This is another challenging activity for you and your fellow Scout Leaders!

Forest fires are a big problem right now. Can you try making a management plan for this? How then will you facilitate the involvement of your young Scouts?

You have been doing well in the past activities! I’m sure you can handle this one pretty well! You may still browse from the text if you’re a bit baffled.

Of course, as I have mentioned, the forests are also the natural home of the many wildlife species. It’s their habitat! For animals in the wild to survive, they need food, water, and cover...cover, of course, for protection. Now, these animals need water, which should be available in their habitats the whole year round! Their food, of course, depends on what they like, just like us, humans! Some species like fruits, seeds, and insects to fill their tummies! And what exactly does this mean?? Yes! It is right thinking that as we protect their homes, we are also protecting these animals in the wild!

What affects the lives of deer, monkeys, and other endangered species? Do you have an idea? Yes! It’s climate! If the climate becomes too cold and freezing, then their food supply can be destroyed! On the other hand, drought can dry up ponds and streams, and animals can die because of lack of water, and too much rain can cause flooding which can also destroy their food source!

I just can’t imagine the difficulty of these species as climate shifts from one to the other. Sigh...that’s why as Scouts we care for the environment, in our little ways, we should also help in protecting them. How then?

Given this particular resource, we can acquire information in managing it by going to your weather station. You may find out how the weather cycle affects these species and their habitat. To monitor this, you can also make a chart to study your observation. You can organize an information drive on forest conservation and the conservation of wildlife. If possible, after studying wildlife in your community, you may ask a resource person to come with you in a forested area or a pocket forest and observe the place. Look at living organisms...what needs do they lack, like for example, a drinking area for birds, or the revival of a small pond? It’s all up to you on how you would systematically arrange this activity. Fun, isn’t it?

Work it!We are all aware that many species at present are considered endangered. Now, it’s time to apply your management skills! Can you devise a simple yet effective plan of action that could preserve a particular species, for example, the eagle? I know you can do it! Make sure that there will still be the involvement of your Scouts, okay? How can they take part?

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Do you know that three fourths of the Earth is water?! You might say, “Yeah, yeah...I know that!” But wait! As other resources are getting depleted, the waters and its resources are also going down the drain!! Alarming, isn’t it?! Because of our need for water, there is an increasing demand for it. We need water for bathing, cooking, and drinking. Freshwater is home for fishes, which are part of our diet as humans. And again, because of this, the demand for freshwater to satisfy our needs, not just for eating and drinking, but also for irrigation and other industries, have turned out to be our additional problem. We can actually do our own management scheme to save the waters and the resources they contain! These conservation actions can help lessen our problems with them, and improve the quality of water we consume every day!

To do this, you may go to a stream area. What can you see? What organisms thrive in it? What seems to be the problem? You can conduct a clean-up activity that would decongest streams filled with garbage! To prevent this from recurring, you may put signs, and even ask for the assistance of the local water management. Easy does it!

Work it!What do you think of big oil tankers in seas? What disadvantages do they pose for the sea and the sea creatures? Can you propose a management plan to remedy this problem? You can look back at the text and read on again, if you want to.

Think-Tank!It’s time to see if you really did learn something from our lesson. So, Scout Leader, it’s now time to put your thinking caps on and answer this self-assessment activity!!

Good luck!

I. Sequencing. Which should come first? Arrange the steps on how to manage natural resources. Number them from 1 to 4, 1 being the first.

A._____ Planning of the specific resource management activity_____ Gathering all needed background information of the resource_____ Decision-making_____ Implementation

B._____ Consult public and private sectors for support in implementation._____ Create other alternative activities, in case of failure._____ Analyze all the underlying factors in the activity, such as issues._____ Choose one activity to be done. Make a design for its implementation._____ Set specific objectives or goals.

II. DifferentiationRead the descriptions of natural resources given. Identify which resource the description falls under. On the blank provided, write F for forests, A for aquatic, W for wildlife.

_____1. It provides habitat for numerous species of birds, animals, insects, and reptiles._____2. It depends mainly on habitat and habitat requirements, such as food, water, and cover._____3. It has an increasing demand of human population, not only for fishing, but also for irrigation._____4. It serves as the home of fishes, which are part of our diet as humans._____5. The roots of trees hold on to the soil to prevent flooding and erosion.

Were you able to answer all of them? Good! But if you have committed mistakes, that’s just fine. You can always look at the ASAQs to see which items you got correctly, and which items you were wrong. Thank you for answering as honestly as you can!

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Summing up!Hello again, Scout Leader!

As you went through this part of the module, I hope that we both did well in passing on the information of natural resources and their proper management. The important things to always keep in mind are:

Natural resources are part of our natural environment that we humans can use to sustain our stay here on earth.

These resources include the forest, agricultural land, water, mineral, rangeland, wildlife, and energy.

Resource management, on the other hand, is the organized and prohibited use of the natural resources for our benefit, and for the environment’s, as well.

Each of these resources can be uniquely managed with the step-by-step approach of resource management, and can thus be applied to the many activities in Scouting.

It is also important to know that as Scouts, we are challenged to conserve the environment, through the application of the different activities planned together.

We hope that you have enjoyed studying with us through this module. I did! As Scout trainers, we are hoping that you could also share with your Scouts the same consciousness that you have now regarding the environment and its proper management.

Continue on with happy and pro-active learning, so that as we learn, it would make us speak louder, be felt and understood.

Journal EntryThis is your time to go back to your answers to the “Query to Ponder” and “Work it” boxes of this module. This is the space provided for your ideas and experiences in relation to the guide questions. Enjoy!!!

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Human Resources in Scouting

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Human Resources in Scouting: What to do and how to do it?

Getting Ready!Managing your Scouts doesn’t necessarily have to be a difficult task. One thing you have

to put into consideration is whether or not your Scouts are having fun in camp. I mean, let’s face it! Scouts, especially in their adolescent years, tend to participate more if they are truly interested in what they’re doing. So to get things started, arouse their interest and stimulate them by having them perform the following activity. You may even join them in playing this game!

Aim High!After completing this module, the Scout Leader should be able to: Enumerate the relevance of managing human resources in Scouting; Identify the responsibilities of human resources in Scouting; Apply the principles of managing human resources in Scouting.

Interest buildingWe call this game “Island Hopping”.

Equipment you will need:For this game, you will need sheets of bond paper two for each Patrol member plus one ―

sheet.

Instruction: The sheets of paper are placed in a line on the floor. Patrol member/s form by placing one foot on each sheet of paper. One sheet should be left unused at the rear of the line. At a given signal, the extra sheet of paper is passed up the line from the last man to the first.

He places the sheet down toward the goal and steps on it by moving the foot that is to the rear. Each Scout in line advances by moving his rear foot to the now vacated sheet ahead of him. The final empty sheet is passed forward and the process is repeated. If a Scout steps off a paper, his entire Patrol must move back and start all over again.

Scoring: The first Patrol to cross a finish line prepared in advance is the winner. You may even present a reward to the winning team to boost their self-confidence.

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Think-A-ThonNow, let’s test how familiar you really are to the human resources involved in Scouting.

Match each descriptions with its corresponding term by filling in the blanks with your answer. Choose your answer from the box. Good luck and enjoy taking the test!

1. The direction and coordination of the human and non-human resources of an organization to achieve output, which meets the needs of the people within or outside the organization is_____________.

2. Most of the management schools we have today offer a mix of educational approaches the _____________, the _____________, and _____________.―

3. With this in mind, the criterion for success is not cognitive but _____________ based.

4. At present, as a positive tool for improving the functions of the organization is _____________.

5. Another important emerging trend in human resource management involves the addition of a _____________ perspective to the members.

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6-10 Who does this function in the Patrol?

6. Draws active participation from all members. ___________

7. Handles correspondence and sends out invitations and thank-you notes. ___________

8. Keeps track of badge work and outdoor activities. ___________

9. Takes charge of buying needed items of the Patrol. ___________

10. The consultant, companion, guide, older brother/sister, parent and friend, rolled into one.

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experiential learning performance Scout Master Cadet Scout

cognitive comprehension Management participative management

Patrol Leader Patrol Second case discussion Quarter Leader

Well, that was easy, wasn’t it? Now, see for yourself and compare your answers with the answer key found at the end of this module. How did you fare? If you got a perfect score, congratulations!! You deserve a reward!!

You can now proceed to the next lesson. But if you made a few mistakes or two, don’t fret! We all make mistakes. Read on to find out more what you missed and eventually, you’ll get the right answers.

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Let's begin!!What comes first to your mind when you hear the word “management”?

Management is the direction and coordination of the human and non-human resources of an organization to achieve outputs, which meet the needs of the people within or outside the organization (Echanis & Rodriguez, 2001). In Scouting, proper management of its resources, especially its human resources should also be observed.

Most of the management schools we have today offer a mix of educational approaches the ―traditional lecture, the case discussion, and experiential learning, sometimes combining them in new and innovative ways. Don’t worry, you don’t have to drown yourself with all these information. All you need to learn are the basics and you’ll be just fine. You have to keep in mind that you as Scout Leaders should aspire to more than just increase the Scouts’ awareness and understanding but also to actually improve your Scouts' skills in interpersonal relations, decision-making, and other key managerial functions. With this in mind, the criterion for success becomes performance-based rather than based on cognitive comprehension. It has been proven that people tend to participate more in decision-making and other activities of the organization when they are happy or are “in the mood” to do so. At present, participative management has come to be viewed more as a positive tool for improving the functions of the organization. People now are involved in decision-making not only to make them feel satisfied, but also because the new ideas they gain from the organization and their capability to solve problems is more productive and effective. Another important emerging trend in human resource management involves the addition of a career development perspective to the members.

In Scouting, you can be able to manage your Scouts efficiently and effectively by frequently holding games and other fun-filled activities that will really get them fired up to participate. You have to let them realize that by joining the Scout Organization, you do not just become a member of a crowd, but one of a worldwide brotherhood/sisterhood of Scouts. You should be able to divide your Scouts into groups of 6 or 8 Scouts called a Patrol. Have each Patrol choose its respective Patrol Leader, and a Patrol Second to help her/him.

Make sure you familiarize the Scouts with the following positions and their responsibilities depending on their interest and abilities. The responsibilities of each officer are:

1. Patrol Leader needs to know how to preside and conduct Patrol business at meetings draw active participation from all members share and teach and relay what she/he learns

2. The Patrol Second or Assistant Patrol Leader takes the place of the Patrol Leader in his/her absence. He/She keeps track of badge work and outdoor activities.

3. The Patrol Scribe or Secretary records minutes during Patrol meetings. He/She updates the Patrol logbooks. He/She also handles correspondence and sends out invitations and thank-younotes. He/She prepares and submits reports of the Patrol.

4. The Patrol Treasurer handles the funds, keeps a record of money received and spent and seesto it that the Patrol purse is never empty.

5. The Grub Leader takes care of the food of the Patrol.

6. The Song and Cheer Leader sees to the cheerful participation of the Patrol in troop activities.

7. The Hike Leader sees to it that all members participate actively in activities of the Troop,particularly outdoor activities.

8. The Quartermaster takes charge of buying needed items of the Patrol. He/She also maintainsthem in good order and condition. He/She takes care of the Patrol box, Patrol property, Patrolcorner or maybe Patrol house.

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In the Patrol, everybody’s opinion counts, and everybody’s talent is necessary to make her Patrol outstanding.

Ask also each Patrol to decide its Patrol name, emblem/banner and Patrol call/cheer.

The success of the Patrol rests largely on the Patrol Leader. He/she should be an all-around person, possessing a fair amount of initiative and energy, with a spirit of helpfulness, with a sense of humor and common sense. That person should also be fair in dealing with his/her members and should know how to get things done without being bossy. He/she listens to the ideas of his/her members and speaks for the patrol. He/she is someone who is able to sense the feeling of his/her group and is able to express it.

Since the Scouting Movement is basically a democratic organization, you have to remind your Scouts that everyone is an important member. He/she can say “yes” or “no” to plans and discussions. Of course, in the democratic way of running a Troop, you know that the majority wins, but the minority is and should always be heard.

Every Scout is a VIP (Very Important Person) in your Troop because you have the privilege of participating in planning your activities and in decision-making. If they experience any problems, they can always run to you, their Scout Leader for consultation.

You as Scout Leaders should be responsible adults. You should always be available to your Scouts for consultation so that they can always ask for your advice, help or information, or even about the activities they are supposed to do. You should set standards and controls to help the Scouts act properly. You should be able to give support whenever they need it. If the Scouts fail, you should be able to understand. You should forgive them for their faults. You should accept them for what they are. In your Troop, you are the consultant, companion, guide, older brother/sister, parent and friend, rolled into one.

To help foster teamwork and camaraderie among the Scouts, you could try this activity with them . This is called the “Caterpillar Race.”

Instructions: Patrols line up single file behind line. Put a chair about 25’ feet in front of their Patrol. First Scout puts his/her hands on the floor, others grab the ankles of the one in front of them. On signal they race up and around the chair. Once they reach their original position, they should perform their Patrol call to signal that they are done.

Scoring: The first Patrol that finishes first and performs their Patrol call with energy is the winning team. A prize may also be handed out to the Scouts of the winning Patrol.

Whew! If that doesn’t energize your Scouts, I don’t know what will. Now go ahead, ask them how they found the activity and what they have learned from it!

Summing Up!Having shared with you the importance and relevance of human resources in Scouting, the challenge for you now is how you can effectively manage and facilitate the available human resources that you have. This is definitely not as easy as it seems. People have diverse attitudes, traits, and behavioral patterns which you have also taken into consideration. This, coupled with the fact that in line with having a lot of human resources on hand, is a greater risk of being faced with various, if not, conflicting interests and opinions among the volunteers and participants. There is also the need to tap the volunteers’ strengths and potentials in order to fully maximize and use your available human resources, your Scouts. And of course, your task does not end there. Upon making them realize their roles, you need to instill in them the essence of teamwork or the importance of working in groups and contributing to the group where they belong.

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Journal EntryThis is your time to go back to your answers to the “Query to Ponder” and “Work it” boxes of this module. This is the space provided for your ideas and experiences in relation to the guide questions. Enjoy!!!

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Material Resources: A few of your favorite things

Getting Ready!Managing materials you use in Scout activities does not only involve the usual tasks of

cleaning, repairing, and maintenance. An effective way of properly managing tools like ropes, compasses, and maps, is by being able to use them properly and with ease. You can also share this bit of information to the Scouts to further increase their awareness. Teaching them how to use these resources need not be boring by giving lectures or distributing handouts. Wouldn’t it be more fun if you impart this to them by having a game?

Aim High!After completing this module, the Scout Leader should be able to: Enumerate the tips on how to manage the important materials in Scouting; Apply the techniques in managing material resources in Scouting.

Interest BuildingYour Scouts will not only be learning a lot from this game, they will also have a blast

figuring out how to properly manipulate the equipment involved while relying on their teammates and outsmarting each other. You can even join the Patrols instead of acting only as the facilitator. Read on to find out more about this fun-filled and educational game I am referring to.

This game is called the “Blind Flying Relay”. Equipment that you will need: For this game, you will need a large paper bag, compass, and card for each Patrol. The card lists compass degree reading from one Patrol to another.

Instructions: This game involves two teams having two Patrols each. Patrols should be in relay formation, meaning half of the team or 1 Patrol should be at one side only and the other Patrol of the same team should be at the opposite end. Give Scout no. 1 in each team a compass, degree-reading card, and paper bag. On signal, s/he puts the paper bag over her/his head so that s/he cannot easily find her/his way to the other end without relying solely on the compass held close to his body. Before s/he starts out, have her/him turn around three times. Then s/he uses the compass and degree reading to find her/his way to the opposite end. Once there, s/he gives the bag, card, and compass to Scout no. 2, the first Scout in the line-up of the Patrol in the opposite end. Scout no. 2 repeats the same procedure. This continues until the two Patrols have exchanged their places. After a team has completed the task, the members of the team should perform their Patrol call to signal that they are done.

Scoring: The two Patrols that exchanged places first and perform their Patrol call are the winning teams. You may even hand out prizes for the two winning Patrols.

Whew! Now, wasn’t that fun? It also feels great to be learning something while having fun at the same time, isn't it? What do you think will your Scouts learned from the game?

Work It!Scouts always want FUN!!! FUN!!! FUN!!!...but the latter game is not just to increase

your adrenaline. We hope that you have become interested and become aware of strategies in managing materials. Hmm...Why don’t you write your experiences in the Journal Entry?!!! Yup...save your pen for the last part of this module Journal Entry.―

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Think-A-ThonNow let’s test how familiar you really are to the material resources used in Scouting. Don’t worry with some of the questions are not familiar with you. This is the diagnostic part of this module. Light up the bulbs on in your brain!!! Ready...

Match Column A with Column B.

A.___ 1. This resource should be distributed equally among the Scouts as scheduled and proper preservation of this resource should also be observed.

___ 2. These include showers, pools, and boats. These should be maintained by cleaning and checking their working conditions at least once a week.

___ 3. These are the supplies and equipment used in Scouting.

___ 4. These include wood, rope, leather, fuel, water filter elements, etc.

___ 5. This contains medical supplies that you can use to treat injuries and other illness in camp.

___ 6. Patches, hats, insignia, neckerchiefs, and nametags are also included in this category of material resources.

___ 7. These are books, charts, maps, and other relevant materials you purchase for use in the education of Scouts.

___ 8. Proper management of material resources should always be observed to prevent accidents and other hazardous events from happening.

B.

A. Meals

B. Uniform

C. First Aid

D. Supplies

E. Facilities

F. Personnel

G. Purchasing

H. First Aid Kit

I. Material Resources

J. Scouting Equipment

K. Instructional Materials

L. Precautionary Measures

Well, that was easy, wasn’t it? Now, see for yourself and compare your answers with the answer key found at the back of this module. How did you fare? If you got a perfect score, congratulations!! You deserve a reward!!

You can now proceed to the next lesson. But if you made a mistake or two, don’t fret! We all make mistakes. Read on to find out more what you missed and eventually, you’ll get the right answers.

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Let's Begin!We now go to the discussion proper. Let us learn more about material resources in Scouting.

Material resources are the tangible resources that are used in Scouting activities. The supplies and equipment used in Scouting fall under this category. Managing these resources is not really as hard as it seems. Consider the following tips in managing some of the important materials used in Scouting:

1. Food is one of the most important resources necessary in Scouting. It is from these that Scouts and Scout Leaders get their energy to fulfill the tasks at hand. You as Scout Leaders should make sure that this resource is distributed equally among the Scouts as scheduled and proper preservation of leftovers and stored food should also be observed.

Before distributing the ration, first gather the assigned Grub Leader of the Patrols and give them instructions on how to allocate the food for each Patrol and how to distribute them. It would also be of great help if you could use meal stubs or sheets of paper containing the menu for the day so that the Scouts could simply check the combination of meals they prefer. They should then submit this to the Grub Leader of their Patrol.

2. Facilities include showers and pools, which are used in Scout activities. Cleaning and checking their working conditions at least once a week should maintain these. One managerial task you can use is the division of labor. You should meet with other Scout Leaders to designate shifts on who will be assigned to check the present state of a certain facility at least once a week. Records should also be kept containing in detail the effectiveness and efficiency of these facilities, and for this, a checklist should be prepared. From this checklist you could determine whether or not the facility needs to be totally replaced by a newer one or if only repair and maintenance are necessary.

3. Supplies include wood, rope, leather, fuel, water filter elements, etc. As with the facilities, it is a must that you clean and check their effectiveness and efficiency. Records should also be kept for each supply. It is also advisable to keep contact details containing the number and contact person of companies from which you could get new supplies in case the camp runs out of these because of inevitable circumstances or in case the supply has exceeded its useful life due to wear and tear.

4. First aid kits contain medical supplies that you can use to treat injuries and other ailments in camp. You should also assign shifts among the Scout Leaders who would be responsible in checking the content of these kits every day. The Scoutmasters should keep a running inventory of the medical supplies they have in stock so that you could easily determine what needs to be purchased as soon as possible.

5. Aside from what the Scouts should be wearing, uniforms also include patches, hats, insignia, neckerchiefs, and name tags that the Scouts use to easily identify them from those people outside the Scouting organization. As such, you should always remind your Scouts to always wear their uniforms properly by constantly checking their uniforms one by one even before the Assembly is held to ensure that everything is where it should be. It would also help to remind your Scouts to always have their uniforms washed and ironed to prepare them for the day’s activities. Constantly encourage them by telling them that a pleasing appearance is a manifestation of how they truly respect the organization. Having a clean and orderly appearance also invites respect from other people.

6. Instructional materials are the books, charts, maps, and other relevant materials used in the education of the Scouts. You should also assign Scout Leaders to constantly check your supply of these instructional materials so that if you lack some of these you could easily place the order to buy new ones. This would also ensure that each Scout has his/her own instructional material so that all of them will be able to participate in the activities you have in store for them.

Remember that precautionary measures should always be observed to prevent accidents and other mishaps from happening. It would be a great help to familiarize your Scouts on the proper usage of these resources as well as how to put them back in their proper storage places. Remember that as Scout Leaders the safety and well-being of your Scouts should be your top priority.

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Quote and Quote!You know what they say, “with great power comes great responsibility!”

Try this activity with your Scouts. This is definitely a fun way of tapping the creativity and resourcefulness of your Scouts! This activity is called “Rope work and Knot-tying.”

For this activity you will need:For each Patrol a supply of the same kind of materials such as Scout staves or saplings, ―lashing cord, tin cans, and coat hangers.

Instructions: Tell the Scouts to create a device for a specific job using materials provided. Here are a few sample projects: a device that will weigh camp objects up to 25 kg in weight, a device to signal a message by a concealed operator located at least 10 feet away from the gadget, and a device to catapult a 25-pound weight at least 30 feet. The leader can dream up additional projects as desired. Patrols are given a time limit.

Variation: Instead of giving all Patrols the same project, assign each one to work on a different project. This will eliminate a Patrol from copying the idea of another.

Scoring: Patrols are judged on ingenuity and how well their device meets the requirements of the job. You may even hand a reward to the team with the winning project.

Summing up!The material resources you use in Scouting should not be taken for granted. Proper management of these resources and should always be observed to safeguard them and also to ensure the safety and well-being of your Scouts. Without you even being aware of it, by managing your material resources effectively and efficiently, you also get to cut the costs and expenses incurred by the Organization because the usefulness of the resources above is prolonged. It is important to let your Scouts know just how important these resources are in Scouting so that they will realize their role in taking care of them. You as Scout Leader have the obligation to set a good example to your Scouts, so you should start with yourself and eventually, this will be reflected to your Scouts who will also learn to follow your ways as a good leader and facilitator.

Work it!Let us travel back to the past activities that you have facilitated since you’re a Scout Leader. Think back to the mostly used material things that you and your Troop always look into. List those things in the Journal Entry and explain how your Troop managed those “favorite things.”

Journal EntryThis is your time you go back to your answers to the “Query to Ponder” and “Work it” boxes of this Module. This is the space provided for your ideas and experiences in relations to the guide questions. Enjoy!!!

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Answers to self-assessment questions

Managing time

1. C 6. D2. C 7. B3. C 8. D4. C 9. C5. D 10. B

Think TankHere are the answers to the questions.

___T___ 1. Prioritizing enables you to use your date book with maximum efficiency.___F___ 2. Cramming is very helpful in time management.___T___ 3. Time is one of the most valuable and precious resources.___T___ 4. Keeping a calendar on the wall with time-and-activity map will help you stay

aware of important events.___F___ 5. Procrastination is necessary when managing your time.___F___ 6. Time management is for leaders and girl/boy scouts only.___F___ 7. Planning your schedule is a burden and a waste of time.___T___ 8. Procrastination is natural, but it can cause you problems if you let it get the

best of you.___T___ 9. The judgments of others can also intimidate you into not taking responsibilities for your time.___T___ 10. How you spend your time is an essential part of responsibility.

Managing Natural Resources

Think-A-Thon1. B 5. A2. C 6. D3. C 7. A4. A

Think TankI. Sequencing. Which should come first? Arrange the steps on how to manage natural resources. Number them from 1 onwards, 1 being the first.

A.___2___ Planning of the specific resource management activity___1___ Gather all needed background information of the resource___4___ Decision-making___2___ Implementation

B.___5___ Consult public and private sectors for support in implementation___3___ Create other alternative activities, in case of failure___2___ Analyze all the underlying factors in the activity, such as issues___4___ Choose one activity to be done. Make a design for its implementation___1___ Set specific objectives or goals

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II. Differentiation. Read the descriptions of natural resources given. Identify which resource the description falls under. On the blank provided, write F for forests, A for aquatic, W for wildlife.

__F__ 1. It provides habitat for numerous species of birds, animals, insects, and reptiles.

__W_ 2. It depends mainly on habitat and habitat requirements such as food, water, and cover.

__A__3. It has increasing demands of human population, not only for fishing, but also for

irrigation.

__A__4. It serves as the home of fishes, which are part of our diet as humans.

__A__5. The roots of trees hold on to the soil to prevent flooding and erosion.

Managing Human Resources1. Management2. Traditional lecture, case discussion, experiential learning3. Performance4. Participative management5. Career Development6. Patrol Leader7. Scribe8. Patrol Second9. Quartermaster10. Scout Leader

Managing Material Resources1. A 5. H2. E 6. B3. I 7. K4. D 8. L

References:Go, A.D. Junior Girl Scout handbook.1991 – 1994.

Castillon, D.A. (1996). BSP. Boy Scout Games. Conservation of Natural Resources: A resource management approach.

Owen, D.S. (1975). Natural resource conservation: An ecological approach.

Pratt, A.L. (1972). Environmental Education in the Community

Echanis and Rodriguez, (2001). Fundamentals of Management: Text and Philippine cases. Mandaluyong: Diwata

Kolb, et. al., eds. (1984) Organizational Psychology: An experiential approach to organizational behavior. N.J.: Prentice Hall

Carter, C. et. al., (1999) Keys to study skills: Opening doors to learning. Prentice Hall:

Module 7: Time Management Skills, cfs.fmhi.usf.edu/cfsnews/cfsnews_pubs/ mentor%20program/m7_time_management_skills.pdf

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Module on Problem Solving

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Lesson 1: Basic steps in problem solving

MotivationHi! Lesson one is all about the seven basic steps in solving a problem. Applying these basic steps will really help you get in the right track and eventually solve a problem. So are you ready to learn them?

Don’t worry, they are not that complicated or difficult. It’s just like following instructions from a recipe or manual. You just have to add the most important ingredient, which are critical and analytical thinking.

Before you proceed to the lesson proper, I want you to try and answer this mental test I included here for you. This is just to warm your neurons up.

TRY IT...

Don’t worry if you didn’t get all six combinations. I myself had a hard time forming them before.

Quick check!Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. What is the very first thing you need to consider in solving a problem?A. Define the problem.B. Identify the problem.C. Select the best approach.D. Identify alternatives.

2. Which method can you NOT make use of to get the best way to solve a problem?A. AGOB. CAFC. LOCD. SCAMPER

3. What do you need to do next after you have chosen the best approach to solve a problem?A. Plan the implementation. B. Monitor the implementation.C. Consider its positive effects.D. Consider its negative effects.

4. What should you come up with before implementing your best approach to solve a problem?A. JournalB. Action planC. List of ideasD. Diary of events

5. When should you evaluate the ideas in brainstorming?A. Immediately after every ideaB. After the brainstorming sessionC. During the brainstorming sessionD. Before the idea has been fully stated

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6. What should you tell your learners to do about the other learners' ideas during the brainstorming session?A. Ignore them.B. Criticize them.C. Develop them.D. Evaluate them.

7. What does C & R, a way of identifying a good problem solving the best approach, stand for?A. Coping & rulingB. Consequence & resultsC. Classification & rejectionD. Consideration & revisions

8. What should you do if the problem has not been totally solved by using the implementedapproach?A. Choose another approach.B. Give up solving the problem.C. Ignore the unsolved matters.D. Do some necessary revisions.

9. In what step will one be able to look for the potential causes of the problem?A. Defining the problemB. Identifying the problemC. Selecting the best approachD. Identifying alternative approaches

10. Which of the following is the appropriate order of steps in problem solving?I. Verification of the resultsII. Selecting the Best approachIII. Planning the implementationIV. Monitoring the implementation

A. II, I, IV, III B. IV,III,II.I C. I,III,II,IV D. III,II,I,IV

Lesson One: Basic steps in problem solvingHere is the first lesson. We find it necessary for you to learn these steps because you might be able to apply them in solving a problem.

A. Problem IdentificationThe first thing you need to do is to identify the problem you want to solve because in many cases people are not able to identify the problem, until they find themselves in a worse situation. Oftentimes, you may have a goal and you cannot see that the path to your goal is blocked. In these cases, it is very important that you are able to identify the obstacle you are facing before you get into a situation from which you cannot get out.

B. Definition of a ProblemDefining a problem is different from just identifying the problem. Hereafter you’ll find out that you are in a problematic situation where you have to set limits to the problem. In this step you really are looking for the potential causes of the problem. The following question will help you define the problem:1. What made you think that there is a problem?2. Where is it happening?3. How is it happening?4. When is it happening?5. With whom is it happening? (do not focus on the one causing the problem)6. Why is it happening?

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In this step, you ca also set limits to the problem. It is very important for you to detect the real problem so that you will be able to address the real issues involve. You can also ask for the opinions of other people who notice the problem.

C. Identify Alternatives for Approaches to Resolve the ProblemAfter you have determined the real problem and the potential causes of the problem, you can now list down some approaches that you can use to solve the problem. The idea is to generate many strategies as possible. At this stage you do not yet evaluate the suggested method that will be given by your Scouts.

To gather many ideas you can make use of group brainstorming and individual brainstorming.

What is brainstorming?Brainstorming is a method of or developing creative solutions to problems. It works by focusing on a problem, and then deliberately coming up with as many unusual solutions as possible and by pushing the ideas as far as possible.

How to brainstorm?The following rules are important to brainstorm successfully:

a. A leader (that is you) should take control of the session, initially defining the problem to be solved with any criteria that must be met, and then keeping the session on course. You should encourage an enthusiastic, uncritical attitude among brainstormers and encourage participation by all members of the team. The session should be announced as lasting a fixed length of time, and you should ensure that no train of thought is followed for too long. You should also try to keep the brainstorming on the subject, and should try to steer it towards new developments of some practical solutions.

b. Participation in the brainstorming process should come from as wide a range of disciplines with as broad a range of experiences as possible. This brings many more creative ideas to the session.

c. Encourage your Scouts to have fun brainstorming, tell them that they should come up with as many ideas as possible, from solidly practical ones to wildly impractical ones in an environment where creativity is welcomed.

d. You should not criticize or evaluate ideas during the brainstorming session. Remember that criticism introduces an element of risk for a group member in putting forward an idea. Criticisms stifle creativity and cripple the free running nature of a good brainstorming session.

e. Also, you should have a record kept for each session either as notes or a tape recording. You should study these subsequently for evaluation. It will also help if you jot down ideas on a board, which can be seen by all the Scouts.

f. You should also encourage your Scouts to ‘spark off’ from association with other people’s ideas and develop these ideas.

Individual vs. group brainstormingBrainstorming can either be carried out by individuals, groups or both. You have the freedom to choose which one you think is best - this is an advantage of individual brainstorming.

a. Individual brainstorming tends not to develop ideas as effectively as group brainstorming, perhaps because individuals on their own run up against problems they cannot solve. Individuals are free to explore ideas in their own time without any fear of criticism, and without being dominated by other group members.

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b. On the other hand, group brainstorming develops ideas more deeply and effectively, because when difficulties in the development of an idea by one person are reached, another person’s creativity and experience can be used to break them down. But looking at the disadvantages, group brainstorming tends to produce fewer ideas (as time is spent developing ideas in depth) and can lead to the suppression of creative but quiet people by loud and uncreative ones. But you can avoid this by giving each Scout the chance to express his/her ideas to maintain order during the session.

D. Select the Best Approach to Solve the ProblemThis stage is where you and your Scouts could criticize the ideas that were generated from the brainstorming activity. To select the best way to solve the problem you can make use of the following:

A. PMI (Plus Minus Interest)B. CAF (Consider All Factors)C. C & R (Consequences and ResultsD. AGO (Aims, Goals, Objectives)E. SCAMPER Substitute ideas

Combine ideasAdapt ideasModify, Magnify, and Minify ideasPut to other usesEliminate ideasRearrange ideas

E. Plan the Implementation of the Best AlternativeAfter you have chosen the best method that you are going to use to solve the problem, the next task is to make an action plan.

Here you will indicate the steps that you will take, the time of execution of moves, until when is the move going to be done, etc.

F. Monitor Implementation of the PlanWhen you have executed all the moves that you decided upon, you will have to look at the outcomes of the things that you have done. You should constantly observe the happenings, so that you can make early adjustments. Observe also if all the issues that were needed to be solved are addressed.

G. Verify if the Problem has been Solved or notIn the end, you will have to look up the result of your doings. See if the problems have been solved, if not do some necessary modifications.

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Checkpoint!Think, think, think...

SummaryThis is just to check if you really have remembered the proper order of the basic steps.

Direction: Arrange the following steps by numbering the steps in column A according to their proper order. Match column B with Column C by drawing lines. Goodluck...

B

Come up with an action plan

Be able to look for the potential causes of the problem

List down approaches that you can use to solve the problem

Criticize & evaluate the ideas/approaches

Observe happenings so that you an make early adjustments

Look at the results and do some necessary modifications

Determine what is the problem

C

Define the problem

Identify alternatives

Select the best approach

Identify the problem

Monitor the implementation

Verify if the problem has been solved

Plan the implementation

A

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Lesson 2: The Key Players of the Problem-Solving ProcessIn the previous lesson you have learned the basic steps in problem solving. This time what you are going to learn are your roles as Scoutmasters and the role of participating Scouts.

Realizing your role and the role of the significant others is important in the problem solving process. Through this you will know how much you should do to maximize the learning that can be derived from the given situations.

Try looking at the illustration below. What can you deduce from what is presented? In this kind of situation what will you do so that your subordinates will learn something, while letting them do the problem solving?

Enumerate some attitudes that a Scout should possess during the problem solving process.

1.

2.

3.

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Text and activities

A. The Principle of Intimate Engagement:The title of lesson two is “The Key Players of the Problem Solving Process.” Now you might be wondering why Intimate Engagement is included in this lesson. The reason is because it is the principle that is most important in the roles of the leader and guide and your followers.

The principle of “intimate engagement” as its name implies, is about being engaged intimately. Probably you are thinking of somebody or some person to be engaged to, but sorry, in this principle you will not be engaged to somebody but to something. “What is it?” you ask. That is the problem. Yes, be engaged intimately with the problem.

“To love somebody is to understand him/her inside and out” but this time we will be saying this: “ to solve a problem is to understand the problem inside and out.” Simple, right? And that’s it.

The principle of intimate engagement tells us that in order to solve a problem we should be devoted to the problem, like we are devoted to our parents and friends (Levine)

Marvin Levine said that to be engaged intimately with the problem, there are two properties: one is to have motivation and the other is “vision and visual imagery.” To have motivation is to commit yourself to the problem, giving it your time and exerting effort to solve it.

Vision and Visual Imagery on the other hand is making use of your senses to view all the aspects of the problem, that is, looking at the task from all angles. In the module, the problem is presented to you in text. You should try to picture in your in mind what is presented to you.

Direction: Imagine the situation and try to solve the problem. You are standing in the middle of the field. In two far trees hang two strings. Your task is to tie them together to support your swing, but the two strings are not long enough for you to reach the other one, while holding the other. The only thing you have are pieces of twigs around you. What will you do?

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You are standing in the middle of the field. In two far trees hang two strings. Your task is to tie them together to support your swing, but the two strings are not long enough for you to reach the other one, while holding the other. The only thing you have are pieces of twigs around you. What will you do?

B. The Role of the Scoutmaster/Leader in the Problem SolvingThe principle of intimate engagement has something to do with your role as the Scoutmaster/Leader. What do you think is your role? Your role as the Scout Master/Leader is not to give the orders nor do all the tasks by yourself; that would be tiresome. Your role is to make your followers be “Intimately Engaged” with the problem. But the question is, “how are you gonna do that?” The answer to that is simple, but doing it is hard.

Well, to do that, you will have to plant the seed of interest in your Scouts' mind. Make them curious about what is happening. In this case you will accomplish the first part of “Intimate Engagement,” that is to motivate them and make them available to solve the problem - make them involved and explore the problem themselves. If you are going to ask “how to make them curious” well think of a way for yourself. After all, you know your Scouts better.

After taking them to the first part of the “Engagement” you will have to make them visualize. How? Well, expose them to some problems, isomorphic to the one they are facing now. Anyway, Isomorphic Problems are problems that are of the same structure but not similar. But you should not tell them directly; otherwise they will depend on you for the rest of the way.

You can also represent the problem in a way that will make if easier for the Scouts to see all sides of the problem, by making a diagram, chart, etc.

This will end your side of the bargain. Leave them alone and let them take care of the rest.

C. The Role of the Scouts

After doing your part, the rest will be the hands of your Scouts. The question is, what is left for the Scouts to do during the problem-solving process. The answer is simple-solve the problem. Aside from listening attentively to your advice, they should also ask some questions that are necessary to solve the problem. Well, Scoutmasters are human, too. You may forget some details that are important. Also, it would be nice to know what is on their minds or what catches their attention, don't you think so?

Your Scouts should also possess the following attitudes:1. Resourcefulness2. Keen Observation3. Curious4. Attentive5. Involved6. Creative7. Persuasive8. Open-minded

Summary 1. The principle of “Intimate Engagement” tells us that in order to solve a problem we should be committed to it.

2. The two properties of the principle of intimate engagement are the following:a. Motivation: to make yourself available to the problem. Giving the problem time to be thought about and giving effort to solve the problem.b. Vision and Visual Imagery: to view the problem from all angles and exhausting all the details of the problem, and then making a mental picture based on the details.

3. The role of the Scoutmaster/Leader is to plant the seed of interest in the Scouts' mind and make them curious about the problem. The Scoutmaster can help the Scouts in making a representation of the problem, and expose the Scouts to problems isomorphic to others.

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4. Isomorphic problems are different problems but of similar structure.

5. The role of the Scouts is to ask, to observe, and to possess the following attitudes:a. Resourcefulnessb. Keen Observationc. Curiousd. Attentivee. Involvedf. Creativeg. Persuasiveh. Open-minded

Lesson 3: Some Thinking patterns used in problem solving

Quick Check!Just to see if you already have an idea of our next lesson. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. If you are going to use your feelings to find solutions to certain problems, what kind of thinking pattern are you going to use?A. Empirical thinkingB. Cause and effect thinkingC. Emotional thinkingD. Contingent thinking

2. Which of the following do you think best describes a step in realistic way of thinking?A. Fix the essential problem first and start from what you can do.B. Identify a current situation.C. Look for the solvable and unsolvable causes of the problem.D. Think of as many situations as possible that may happen.

3. In what pattern of thinking can we use the scientific method? A. Strategic and conception thinkingB. Emotional and rational thinkingC. Conception and emotional thinkingD. Systems and rational thinking

4. What type of thinking should you best consider in Game Theories?A. Emotional thinkingB. Contingent thinkingC. Hypothesis thinkingD. Systems thinking

5. Which is not a necessary factor in systems thinking?A. Input of the problemB. PurposeC. FunctionD. Visualization of the problem

Write True if the statement is correct; otherwise write False.______ 1. Focus is the criterion for strategic thinking. _______2. Rational thinking needs a more scientific problem-solving approach than systems

thinking.

_______3. In hypothesis thinking, we need not collect all the information needed - we just have to formulate hypothesis from the data that we have.

_______4. Problem solving should always be critical and rational.

_______5. Using empirical thinking, we judge whether the situation is right or wrong based on our instincts.

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MotivationFrom the previous lessons, you have just learned the basic steps in problem solving and your roles as Scoutmasters/Leaders as well as the roles of your Scouts. Well, don’t you think it’s time you learn about how you can come up with your solutions in the problems given to you and how you could come up with this new problem I’ll give you?! Hmmm.. Try to think! Well, your third lesson is actually about thinking. Before you learn further about the different types of thinking patterns, try this first.

Activity 3.1You are riding in a boat and you need to cross the goat, the dog and the cat on the side of the river one at a time. You cannot cross the cat first. But if you cross the dog first, the goat and the cat will be left and the goat will kill the cat if they will be left alone. You cannot as well leave the dog and the cat alone because they will kill each other too. Well, well, well,...how are you going to do that? THINK, THINK and THINK!!! I know you can do this! There’s a space provided for your answer below. Good luck!

A. Thinking patterns for judgementsIn order to create a value through thinking you need to judge whether what you think is right or wrong. You can choose from the four judging patterns such as strategic thinking, emotional thinking, realistic thinking, and empirical thinking.

1. Strategic thinkingFocus or bias, is the criterion for strategic thinking. If you judge whether a situation is right or wrong based on whether the situation is focused or not, your judgement is strategic. A strategy is not necessarily strategic.

2. Emotional thinkingIn organizations, an emotional aspect is essential. Tactical leaders judge whether a situation is right or wrong based on the participants emotional commitment. They think that if participants can be positive to a situation, the situation is right. Don’t you think this would be of great help to you in Scouting?

3. Realistic thinkingStart from what you can doFix the essential problem first

These two criteria are very useful. “Starting” is very important, even if you do very little. You do not have to start from the essential part. Even if you start from an easier part, starting is a better judgement than a judgement of not-starting in terms of the first part of realistic thinking. Further, after starting, you should search for key factors to make the Problem Solving more efficient.

Usually, 80 % of the problems are caused by only 20 % of the causes. If you can find the essential 20 % of the causes, you can fix 80 % of the problems very efficiently. Then if you try to find the essential problem, what you are doing is right in terms of the second part of realistic thinking.

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4. Empirical thinkingWhen you use empirical thinking, you judge whether the situation is right or wrong based on past experiences. Sometimes, this thinking pattern persists on the past criteria too much, even if a situation has changed. But when it comes to our daily lives, situations do not change frequently.

Further, if you have experienced an identical situation before, you can utilize the experience as a reliable knowledge data base.

B. Thinking patterns for thinking processesIf you can think systematically, you do not have to be frustrated when you think. In contrast, if you have no systematic method, problem solving may frustrate you. This module lists five systematic thinking processes such as rational thinking, systems thinking, cause and effect thinking, and contingent thinking.

1. Rational thinkingRational thinking is one of the most common Problem Solving methods. This will briefly show another problem solving method.

1. Set the ideal situation2. Identify a current situation3. Compare the ideal situation and the current situation, and identify the problem situation4. Break down the problem to its causes5. Conceive the solution alternatives to the causes6. Evaluate and choose the reasonable solution alternatives7. Implement the solutions

You can use rational thinking as a problem-solving method for almost all problems.

2. Systems thinkingSystems thinking is a more scientific problem-solving approach than the rational thinking approach You set the system, which causes problems and analyze them based on systems functions. The following are the systems and how they works.

SystemPurposeInputFunction - Inside cause - Outside causeOutputResult

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In order to realize Purpose, you prepare Input and through Function you can get Output. But Output does not necessarily realize Purpose. Result of the Function may be different from Purpose. This difference is created by Outside Cause and Inside Cause. you cannot solve Outside Cause but you can solve Inside Cause. For example, when you want to play golf, Purpose is to play golf. If you cannot play golf, this situation is Output. If you cannot play golf because of bad weather, the bad weather is Outside Cause, because you can not change the weather. In contrast, if you cannot play golf because you left golf bags at home, this cause is solvable. Then, that you left bags in your home is an Inside Cause.

Systems thinking is a very clear and useful method to solve problems.

3. Cause and effect thinkingTraditionally, we like to clarify cause and effect relations. We usually think of finding causes as solving problems. Finding a cause and effect relation is a conventional basic problem-solving method.

4. Contingent thinkingGame Theory is a typical contingent thinking method. If you think about as many situations as possible, which may happen, and prepare solutions for each situation, this process is a contingent thinking approach.

C. Thinking patterns for efficient thinkingIn order to think efficiently, there are several useful thinking patterns. This module lists five patterns for efficient thinking, such as hypothesis thinking, conception thinking, structure thinking, convergence and divergence thinking, and time-order thinking.

1. Hypothesis thinkingIf you can collect all information quickly and easily, you can solve problems very efficiently. But actually, you cannot collect every information. If you try to collect all information, you need a long time. Hypothesis thinking does not require collecting all information. You develop a hypothesis based on available information. After you have developed a hypothesis, you collect minimum information to prove the hypothesis. If the first hypothesis is right, you do not have to collect any more information. If the first hypothesis is wrong, you will develop the next hypothesis based on available information. Hypothesis thinking is a very efficient problem-solving method, because you do not have to waste time to collect unnecessary information.

2. Conception thinkingProblem solving is not necessarily logical or rational. Creativity and flexibility are other important aspects of problem solving. You cannot recognize these aspects clearly. This module shows only what kinds of tip useful for creative and flexible conception.

The following are some tips:- To be visual- To write down what we think- Use cards to draw, write and arrange ideas in many ways- Change positions, forms, and viewpoints, physically and mentally

You can imagine without words and logic, but in order to communicate to others, you must explain by words and logic. Therefore after creating ideas, you must explain them literally. Creative conception must be translated into reasonable explanations. Without explanations, conception does not make sense.

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3. Convergent and divergent thinkingWhen you think creatively you do not have to consider convergence of ideas. In contrast, when you summarize ideas you must focus on convergence. If you do convergence and divergence simultaneously, problem solving becomes inefficient.

4. Time-order thinkingThinking based on time order is very convenient when you are confused with problem solving. You can think based on a time order from the past to the future and make a complex situation clear.

5. Structure thinkingIf you make a structure like a tree to grasp a complex situation, you can understand it very clearly. The upper level should be more abstract and the lower level should be more concrete. Dividing abstract situations from concrete situations is helpful to clarify the complex situations. Very frequently, problem solvers cannot arrange a situation clearly and clear recognition of a complex situation increases efficiency of problem solving.

Now that you have learned about the different thinking patterns, I think you can already use these in the motivation activity I’ve given you at the start of lesson 3. Do you think you have figured-out the right answer? Well, if you think you didn’t make it, I’m giving you a second chance. You can try it again this time. You can try as many thinking patterns as you want but of course you should arrive at the same solution. On the other hand, if you think you got the right answer, you should try it again using different patterns and find out if you will arrive at the same answer. You have plenty of space below for your solutions. I know you can do this! Good luck!!!

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Lesson 4: Hindrances and Aids in Problem Solving

ActivityProblems arise from our daily lives. Sometimes they are very hard to handle but we still manage to find ways to solve them.Reflect and think about the time when you encountered a problem. Then answer the following questions:1. What are the things that hindered you from solving a problem?2. What are the tools or strategies that you have used to be able to solve problems?

These questions will guide you as you go along our next lesson “Hindrances and Aids to Problem Solving.” Try to relate your personal experiences with the one discussed in this lesson. Good luck!

Hindrances to Problem SolvingAccording to Katovsky, Hayes and Simon the following can disable you in successfully solve problems:

1. More Novelty: these are new rules, new objects, new knowledge2. Many Rules3. Complexity of Rules4. More Counterintuitive Rule: these are rules that seem to go against common sense or against the knowledge of the problem solver.Mental Sets, Functional Fixedness, Stereotypes and Negative Transfer contribute to failure in problem solving. Remember this, ok? They are quite important.

Problems become hard to solve when the problem solver (that is you!) tend to apply certain strategy used in the former problem on a new situation, that is, a frame of mind involving an existing model for a problem that is being applied in a new and different problem. In this case, the strategy doesn’t apply on the latter but is effective on the former. This mental set is called “entrenchment.”

ActivityImagine you and your friend are in a picnic and you have brought along bottles of cola. At the point that you are about to eat and drink you realized that you have forgotten to bring the bottle opener. Both of you look for something you can use. You see the spoon and with a flash of insight you realize how you can remove the crown from the bottle. How do you do it?

The point here is that the function of spoon has nothing to do with removing crowns from bottles.

Functional Fixedness happens when you limit the use of some object to only a certain purpose. That is, your inability to realize that something known to have a particular use may also be used in another way. This enables you to use old tools in problem solving in new ways.

Stereotypes: ’m sure that you have an idea about this one because there’s no way you cannot encounter this, like gender stereotyping. Anyway, stereotype is also a mental set which are beliefs that members of a social group are considered to be of less ability than the others, because of gender and physical characteristics, etc. This does not only reduce the advantages of team and/or group work but like other kinds of mental sets, it hinders the problem-solving abilities of those individuals engaging in this kind of thinking. So if I were you don’t practice it!

What do you think will happen when the colors of the traffic lights are reversed? (Red to go and green to stop)

Definitely your old knowledge that green is to go and red to stop would interfere. You’ll get confused cause your still not used to that new convention. Do you agree?

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Negative Transfer when solving a previous problem prevents you from solving new problems. That is, when you carry over a strategy from previous problems solving activity and you are forced to use it in a new situation that you did not think of as a new start for the new problem. This also happens when you commit false analogy between two occasions.

Aids to Problems SolvingThere are things that can impede our problem-solving abilities and at the same time there are also things that can help us make it easier to solve problems. The following on the other hand will help you in problem solving:1. Positive transfer

2. Searching for analogy3. Incubation

Reflect on this question. Does experience in a given problem make it easier for you to solve new problems?

Positive TransferThis is the exact opposite of negative transfer. (As the name suggested!) This is the transfer of knowledge and/or facts and skills from one event to another that will help you in solving the new problem that you are now facing. This works well when you are solving an analogous problem from the one that you have encountered before.

Are you convinced that experience as part of positive transfer can really help in solving problems?

Searching for AnalogiesAccording to Dendre Gentner, analogies between problems involve mapping of relationships between problems; the actual content attributes of the problem is irrelevant. So, what Prof. Gentner wants to say is that in analogies, the closeness of the structural systems is more important compared to the similarity of content.

IncubationCompared with the previous two, incubation is quite different. While the two focuses on problem solving, incubation is stepping away and taking time not thinking about the problem. Not that you will forget that you have a problem to solve, but that you take a vacation from the mental stress brought about by the problem. Now, you might be wondering how this could help in solving the problem. Well, in this process, when we think of something else and do some other activities, we may be able to forget some details of the problem that aren’t really important, and retain only those which are essential.

Through time the answer will automatically come out as you do other activities. In doing other things you may encounter something analogous to the problem. The only worry now is that, if you have a deadline to meet, you might need more time if you have a longer incubation period.

Can you give a situation where you have used the incubation strategy in solving a problem?

I’m sure there are lots that you can give situations that needed an answer but you could not figure it out. You forgot the problem, but after an hour or even days, the answer just “popped out” of your mind.

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Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ):Ok, we’ve prepared a simple exercise for you to check whether you understand the content of this lesson or not. Don’t worry if you don’t get the right answer right away. Just go through the lesson and try again. May i remind you to look at the Answers to the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ASAQ) only after you have chosen your answers. Good luck!

1. Which of the following contributes to failure in problem solving?A. IncubationB. Positive transferC. Negative transferD. Searching for analogy

2. What hindrance to problem solving will you commit if you limit the use of object to only a certain purpose?A. StereotypesB. Negative transferC. Complexity of rulesD. Functional fixedness

3. What aid to problem solving is temporarily forgetting the problem to ease the mental stress in dealing with the problem?A. IncubationB. More noveltyC. Counterintuitive ruleD. Searching for analogy

4. Which of the following prevents from one solving problems effectively?A. New rulesB. Similar structureC. Analogous problemD. Acquired knowledge

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Module on Feedback (To give or not to give)

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IntroductionYou probably have heard the word feedback many times and you know that giving and

receiving it is basic in leadership. We give feedback to our Scouts / fellow Scout leaders after activities; we give feedback to our Scouts about their performance; in training courses, we give feedback to our participants. But how do you give feedback? Does it help the person you are giving it to? Or do both of you end up yelling at each other?

Have you experienced receiving praises or criticisms from other people? What was your reaction?

Feedback is one word that is probably common to all. However, giving and receiving it positively is one of the most critical and hardest things to do. Usually, misunderstandings and relationship gaps result from badly given feedback. On she other hand, sometimes most of us take feedback negatively, which results in disagreements.

The Module will help you understand better what feedback is and the principles underlying it. We will discuss the effective ways of giving and receiving feedback that will help you in your daily activities, especially in Scouting.

ObjectivesAt the end of the Module, you should be able to: Explain feedback and its importance; Illustrate the principles of giving feedback; Distinguish between positive and negative ways of giving feedback; Demonstrate effective ways of giving feedback; Practice positive ways of accepting feedback.

Lesson 1: Definition

Good day! This is the first part of our lesson.

Before we start, I want you to define, in your own way, what you think feedback is. Don’t worry; there is no right or wrong answer. It will really help for you to know what feedback is and your ideas about it. I know you need time. I’ll give you 5 minutes to do this. Write your ideas below.

Are you finished? Did you have a hard time?

Then, I want you to look for Mr. Webster (dictionary) and ask him how he defines feedback. Write it down like what you did with your own definition.

Read both definitions aloud. Listen to yourself. Internalize it. Compare the two definitions. Is your definition the same as what Mr. Webster has? If yes, good for you! If no, I repeat there are no right or wrong answers. If you have a different definition, then that only shows how you perceive feedback!

Checkpoint!Before I give my definition of feedback, let’s see if we have the same thoughts about it. I

have here five questions for you to answer. Answer it first before continuing. See you!

Directions: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What do you call a reaction or response to a particular process or activity?A. CritiqueB. FeedbackC. InquiryD. Objection

2. What type of communication is feedback?A. RejectB. Often getC. Always giveD. Give and get

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3. What do we use to reinforce outstanding performances?A. ArgumentsB. CriticismsC. PraisesD. Prayers

4. Why do we usually criticize others when giving feedback?A. To degrade their moralityB. To make ourselves happyC. To improve work situationsD. To discourage them in their work

5. Is feedback synonymous to negative criticisms?A. NoB. YesC. MaybeD. Not sure

Hello! So how was the Checkpoint? Was it a piece of cake? Hmmm, I wonder if we have similar ideas.

Feedback is a must for people who want to have honest relationships. A powerful and important means for communication, feedback connects us and our behaviour to the world around us.

-Phil Rich, Ed.D., MSW

Before we start our discussion, you have to be clear about the meaning of the word “feedback.” A lexical definition of feedback is a reaction or response to a particular process or activity. That is how my dictionary defines feedback. How about your dictionary?

Feedback is a type of communication that we give or get. We usually associate feedback with criticism, but feedback is not all about criticisms. There are two aspects of feedback: giving and receiving it, and two types too: the positive (praises) and negative (criticisms). It is a way of letting people know how effective they are in what they are trying to accomplish, or how they affect you. It provides a way for people to learn how they affect the world around them.

Challenge You now realize that feedback is a response to a certain activity and you also found out that it could “make” or “break” a person.

What do you think is the use of feedback in dealing with your Scouts/ Scout Leaders? Write a short paragraph about it.

Lesson 2: Principles of FeedbackA Scout humiliates another Scout in the Patrol while they are working on an activity. They exchange insulting words and the whole scenario ends in a fistfight. As a Scoutmaster, how would you react to the situation?

Let’s see if you have an idea of the principles of feedback. Answer the Checkpoint before reading on. Good luck!

Checkpoint!Direction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What activity will make Scouts gradually assume more responsibility for their own abilities and performance?A. Self-controlB. Self-analysisC. Self-regulationD. Self-assessment

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3. What do we use to reinforce outstanding performances?A. ArgumentsB. CriticismsC. PraisesD. Prayers

4. Why do we usually criticize others when giving feedback?A. To degrade their moralityB. To make ourselves happyC. To improve work situationsD. To discourage them in their work

5. Is feedback synonymous to negative criticisms?A. NoB. YesC. MaybeD. Not sure

Hello! So how was the Checkpoint? Was it a piece of cake? Hmmm, I wonder if we have similar ideas.

Feedback is a must for people who want to have honest relationships. A powerful and important means for communication, feedback connects us and our behaviour to the world around us.

-- Phil Rich, Ed.D., MSW

Before we start our discussion, you have to be clear about the meaning of the word “feedback.” A lexical definition of feedback is a reaction or response to a particular process or activity. That is how my dictionary defines feedback. How about your dictionary?

Feedback is a type of communication that we give or get. We usually associate feedback with criticism, but feedback is not all about criticisms. There are two aspects of feedback: giving and receiving it, and two types too: the positive (praises) and negative (criticisms). It is a way of letting people know how effective they are in what they are trying to accomplish, or how they affect you. It provides a way for people to learn how they affect the world around them.

Challenge You now realize that feedback is a response to a certain activity and you also found out that it could “make” or “break” a person.

What do you think is the use of feedback in dealing with your Scouts/ Scout Leaders? Write a short paragraph about it.

Lesson 2: Principles of FeedbackA Scout humiliates another Scout in the Patrol while they are working on an activity. They exchange insulting words and the whole scenario ends in a fistfight. As a Scoutmaster, how would you react to the situation?

Let’s see if you have an idea of the principles of feedback. Answer the Checkpoint before reading on. Good luck!

Checkpoint!Direction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What activity will make Scouts gradually assume more responsibility for their own abilities and performance?A. Self-controlB. Self-analysisC. Self-regulationD. Self-assessment

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2. How many critical areas should be addressed when giving and receiving feedback?A. 1-2B. 2-3C. 3-4D. As many as you can

3. What plan is used in monitoring the changed behavior or performance of a Scout?A. Work planB. Action planC. Development planD. Achievement plan 4. How should you end a conversation where you need to give feedback about a Scout’s negative behavior?A. Blaming the ScoutB. Punishing the ScoutC. Telling the Scout his/her faults and correcting themD. Giving the Scout advice or words of encouragement

5. What factor is effective in bringing about change?A. Negative punishmentB. Negative reinforcementC. Positive punishmentD. Positive reinforcement

6. Where should you give corrective feedback?A. In a private placeB. In front of other ScoutsC. In front of other ScoutmastersD. In the place where the behavior has occurred

7. What is an example of an intangible motivator that may fully change a Scout?A. GiftB. PraiseC. AwardD. Money

8. In your conversation with a Scout / Scout Leader, when is the right time to point out corrective behavior?A. At the beginningB. At the middleC. At the endD. The next time you talk to him/her

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9-10 Choose your answers from the letters below.A. While the behavior is occurringB. After the behavior has occurredC. The next time you observe the behaviorD. Before the person exhibits the same behavior again

9. When is praise more effective to give?

10. When should corrective feedback be given?

How did you find the questions? Were they hard? If you want to know how you fared in the Checkpoint, look for the page where you will find the key answers.

People still need to communicate comfortably and effectively with other people.

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There are several things that you have to consider in giving feedback. Some of these things are as follows:

Choose correct timing for feedback.Praise is most effective when given as soon as possible after the behavior has occurred. When you give positive feedback immediately, it will help you to reinforce the correct behavior and make it more likely to happen again. However, an incorrect behavior, if not given feedback, will make the Scout incorporate it in his/her interactions unknowingly. It would be better if you give corrective feedback to a Scout before the situation happens again, preferably in a private place.

Ask for self-assessment.It will be very helpful if you know something about the person you are giving feedback to. Asking them about themselves will help them be involved in the feedback process. It will also promote an open atmosphere and a dialogue between the person and you. Through self-assessment, the other person can gradually assume more responsibility for his/her own abilities and performance.

Focus on specifics.When you focus on a specific correct or incorrect behavior, you remove the feedback from the sphere of personality differences and the other person will be more willing and able to change.

For example, when providing corrective feedback,DO: “When you were talking to Tony, I noticed that you forgot to use his name.”DON’T: “You are not building rapport with Tony.”

When providing praise,DO: “When you spoke to Minda, I noticed that you used really good open and closed questioning techniques.”DON’T: “You communicated well there.”

Limit feedback to a few important points.Good Scout Leaders and communicators identify one or two critical areas and help the Scout address them one at a time.

It is too hard to examine and try to change many aspects of behavior at one time. So restrict your feedback to one or two important points so that you do not overwhelm the Scout with too many things to consider.

Provide more praise than corrective feedback.Positive reinforcement is one of the strongest factors in bringing about change. Unfortunately, a lot of people always focus on the negative. When you give corrective feedback, remember to point out corrective behaviors first. This is as important as pointing out mistakes and areas that need improvement. Then, too, always end the conversation on a positive note.

Give praise for expected performance.Scouts deserve to be praised for doing their job to the expected level. However, too many Scout Leaders take the expected level for granted. Please remember that praising anyone who meets established standards is as important as praising the exceptional performer.

Praise is a strong motivator, and enough praise may be what it takes to turn an average Scout into an exceptional one.

Develop Action Plans.Work together with the Scout to identify the desired performance or result and how it can be achieved. Then, decide when the steps will be accomplished.

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ChallengeIn our lesson, I discussed with you the principles of giving feedback. You have to consider several factors or aspects in giving feedback.

Timing is important. You have to give the right feedback after an action has been done. Involve the Scout in assessing him/herself. Through this, you promote an open atmosphere with your Scouts. You also learned that it is important to limit your feedback and focus on a specific behavior. Lastly, you have to develop an action plan to come up with the desired behavior of your Scouts. Our lesson also stresses the importance of giving praise for a desirable performance done by a Scout.

Recall the last time you gave feedback to a Scout. Were these principles met? If yes, then you are a good feedback giver!

If no, don’t worry! Many don’t know these principles either. And now that you know, try to make up for it.

Lesson 3: Giving FeedbackFacilitate an activity with your Scouts (any Scout activity will do). Observe yourself as you perform the activity. Write down or record the words that you say to your Scouts / fellow Scout Leaders, especially the words that you give regarding their performance. Using a tape recorder would be the best.

Our goal here is for you to remember the words you uttered to your Scouts and how you delivered them, which affected their performance. Start now.

Finished? Now, I want you to listen to your tape recorder. Listen as if you don’t know the person speaking. Think as if it is the first time that you are hearing the person.

How does it feel? Have you ever realized in the past that this is how you give feedback to your Scouts / Scout Leaders?

Now, we are going to learn the different types of feedback giver, specifically the negative ones. On the other hand, there are suggestions to offer in improving these negative ways of giving feedback.

Hope you’ll enjoy these activities!

Checkpoint!Here I am again! Before we go to the lesson proper, let’s see if you already have ideas about our topic today.

Direction: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. How should positive feedback be given?A. PrivatelyB. PubliclyC. In a Troop meetingD. In a place of worship

2. “Really mean it when you give positive feedback.” What does this imply?A. Do it now.B. Be sincere.C. Be specific.D. Make it public.

3. What should your state of mind be when giving feedback?A. CalmB. DefensiveC. HystericalD. Problematic

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4. What should you do after you have given a negative feedback?A. Leave in a hurry.B. Stop talking and listen.C. Stop talking but don’t listen.D. Don’t let him /her talk to you again.

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5-7. What kind of feedback giver is described in each number?

5. He/she makes a quick and vague feedback and disappears.A. AttackerB. DumperC. Hit-and-runD. Parent

6. He/She challenges personal traits instead of specific behaviors.A. AttackerB. DumperC. ImposerD. Quick fixer

7. He/She gives no thought to the time and place you choose to deliver feedback. A. ImposerB. InconsiderateC. LaggardD. Psychologist

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8-10. Identify the solutions that are implied in these statements.Write the answer on the space provided before each item.A. Be briefB. Be promptC. Be patientD. Be sensitiveE. Be objective 8. Give feedback when it is timely.

9. Present feedback at an appropriate time and setting.

10. Limit your criticism to single infractions with specific solutions.

So, how were the questions? Do you think you got a perfect score? Read the following pages for you to find out.

It takes an average person almost twice as long to understand a sentence that uses a negative approach than it does to understand a positive sentence.

-John H. Reitmann, psychiatrist

In any conversation or piece of work done, we are often expected to give feedback. More often than not, we are usually the ones giving feedback instead of receiving it. Admit it; it’s easier to give feedback than to receive it, right?

However, our view regarding feedback is as diverse as what we see around us. Others use this as a weapon; for others this is a way to improve themselves.

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How you deliver feedback is as important as how you accept it, which we are both going to tackle. In giving feedback, there are two important things to consider: sincerity and sensitivity. There are also ineffective and effective ways of giving feedback. Using your observations in your recorded voice, do you think your way of giving feedback is effective or ineffective?

Jerome (1995) classified feedback givers according to their way of giving feedback. Here are some of them together with examples of the kinds of feedback they give.

1. Attacker: You challenge personal traits instead of specific behaviors. You gain support by threatening— in a spoken or unspoken manner— to hurt or to embarrass. “You are a poor Patrol member.” “You are disorganized.”

2. Judge: There are no “shades of gray “for you. Everything fits into a narrow classification. It’s either right or wrong, good or bad. You derive your assessments without the benefit of facts or concrete information.“You did a poor job.”“Good work.”

3. Rambler: You deliver long-winded lectures, and do not seek input or responses. You know the score, and as soon as you conclude, you think other people do, too.“Do you know why it didn’t work? I’ll tell you why.”

4. Hit-and-run: You make a quick and vague point and disappear, using one-way communication. You are not usually available for questions and answers. That’s why Scouts are left wondering where you stand.“Actually, I’d prefer it if you’d do it differently. Thanks!”“Don’t worry about it. There’s always room for improvement.”

5. Dumper: You unload on your Scouts, not putting criticisms into context — just listing them. You store them in gunnysacks and then dump them all on the Scout’s head.“Please take notes. We’ve got a lot to discuss and time is short.”“Oh, while we’re at it—one more thing.”

“Am I discussing too fast? Do you now know where you belong? There are still many of them. Just hold on.”

6. Laggard: You dilly-dally, delivering criticisms or praise for that matter whenever the spirit moves you, that is, if you remember...“Oh, by the way...”“Now that you mentioned it—no, I wasn’t happy with that job.”

7. Inconsiderate: You give no thought to the time and place you choose to deliver feedback. Your style can be perceived as insensitive and thoughtless.“As you all know, a few of us in the Group are having some difficulties with the activity.”

8. Parent: You often rely on personal likes and dislikes when choosing behaviors to criticize or praise. You want others to be like you.“It’s not the kind of behavior I want around here.”“I expected too much from you, and you disappointed me.”

9. Punisher: You focus only on the downside. You try to change behaviors by solely dwelling on the extreme negative impacts and punitive consequences of current behavior to scare a Scout straight.“This will get you dropped. It’s your choice.”“Don’t come running to me when it blows up. You caused it.”

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10. Psychologist: You reject factual cause-and-effect behaviors in favor of probing others’ psychological motivations. In essence, you like to play with Scouts’ heads. Also, you are obsessed with “why” to seek underlying motives and intentions.“You knew what you were doing. Now live with the consequences.”“You must have wanted to hurt me, or you wouldn’t have said that.”

11. Imposer: You mandate opinions as if they were law-offers that can’t be refused. Much like a parent, you use position power if it can get to your way. Often, the mandated solutions follow a personal attack (attacker) or a judgment (judge).“You’re not the most organized Quartermaster I’ve worked with. Here, use this system.”“You need to be a little more polished. I’ve signed you up for the training.”

12. Quick fixer: You don’t take much time to devise creative options for solving problems. You rely on old solutions - tried and simple remedies - to new and complex problems.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve seen this before. Here, try this.”“This is the way we’ve always done it. It should work for you.”

Do you see yourself in any of those?

I guess I have said too much about the ineffective ways of giving feedback. Although they are many, there are still solutions to improve your ways of giving feedback, and here are some of Jerome’s suggestions.

1. Be specific with behaviors. Cite the Scout’s specific behavior— what he/she actually said or did (or didn’t say or do), rather than personal traits or habits.

2. Be descriptive. Share specific and objective accounts of what the Scout actually said or did. Avoid judgments, evaluations, subjective, or loaded language (good/bad, right/wrong). Test your account by asking yourself if any outside observer would have described the behavior as you did.

3. Be brief. Briefly describe the Scout’s current behavior. Keep it short and simple so that he/she isn’t overwhelmed. Seek the person’s response. Open a balanced discussion and pave the way for clear understanding and acceptance.

4. Be available and open. Share and discuss your observations, comments, and suggestions with others. Solicit all the sides of the story to get a complete picture. Actively listen to the person, then paraphrase what you believe was said to make sure everyone understands the situation.

5. Be patient. Provide feedback gradually and within a single context. Try to limit your criticism to single or similar infractions for which you can suggest specific solutions.

6. Be prompt. Give feedback in a timely manner (to wait is to jeopardize the accuracy of your recall). Immediate feedback can mean capitalizing on strengths and improving on-the -job performance.

7. Be sensitive to time and place. Present feedback at an appropriate time and setting. Even the most thoughtful feedback shared at the wrong time can do more harm than good!. When in doubt, ask the Scout when and where he/she would like to talk.

8. Be objective. Consider all impacts and consequences—positive, neutral and negative. Even if the impacts are negative, undesirable or, improbable, keep a positive focus. Open a discussion on how to respond to a problem or how to handle a situation in the future. Remember that your objective is to improve –-not punish—behavior.

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8. Be objective. Consider all impacts and consequences—positive, neutral and negative. Even if the impacts are negative, undesirable or, improbable, keep a positive focus. Open a discussion on how to respond to a problem or how to handle a situation in the future. Remember that your objective is to improve –-not punish—behavior.

9. Be supportive. Demonstrate a sincere interest in supporting the Scout to improve the situation. If the Scout contends that he/she didn’t do it, accept his/her contention, let it go, and discuss ways to get around the problem in the future.

10. Be encouraging and offer ideas. Encourage the Scout to come up with alternative behaviors and action plans on his/her own. Let him/her retain responsibility for current performance and be more committed to a plan he/she helped to create.

11. Be creative with options. Help identify three to four alternative behaviors and/or actions to improve a situation.

Now that we have learned the ineffective ways of giving feedback and their solutions as well, here are tips in giving positive and negative feedback. As I have mentioned earlier, there are two types of feedback: the positive and the negative. Praising is an example of positive feedback. Here, you compliment the person receiving your feedback. On the other hand, negative feedback is given because there are certain behaviors that we want to correct. That is, we want to improve something –- whether it is the person’s behavior or the situation itself.

To continue, here are the thoughts of F. John Reh on how to give positive and negative feedback.

With time goes memory. With memory goes the accuracy of facts and the Effectiveness of praise and criticisms.

How to give positive feedbackDon’t ever underestimate the power of positive feedback. We are quick to point out to someone when they make a mistake. Sometimes we forget to acknowledge them when they do something right. Giving positive feedback can be a powerful tool for motivation. Here’s how to use it most effectively:

1. Do it now. Positive feedback is too important to let slide. Say something right away.

2. Make it public. While negative feedback should be given privately, positive feedback should be given publicly. Do it in front of as large a group as appropriate.

3. Be specific. Don’t just say “Good job, Kim.” Instead, say something like “Kim that new procedure you developed for breaking camp really sped up our going home. Thanks for coming up with it!”

4. Make a big deal out of it. You don’t want to assemble the entire Group every time you give positive feedback, but do as much ceremony as the action warrants.

5. Consider the receiver. It is important to consider the feeling of the Scout receiving the recognition. For a very shy Scout, thanking him/her in front of his/her Patrol is probably most appropriate. For another Scout, you might hang a banner, balloons, and streamers in his/her Patrol meeting room.

6. Do it often. Don’t wait for the big successes. Celebrate the small ones, too.

7. Do it evenly. Big successes need big recognition; small successes need smaller recognition. If you throw a party for every small success, you diminish its effect for a big success.

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8. Be sincere. Don’t praise a Scout for arriving at the Troop meeting on time. Don’t congratulate a Scout for just doing his/her share of the work. They will see right through you. Really mean it when you give positive feedback.

Giving negative feedback is never easy, but if done properly it isn’t unpleasant.

How to give negative feedback properly “That ignorant guy.” This, usually, is our reaction when hearing negative things about us. There’s nothing wrong in reacting to what others say. The problem is, we disagree not with what was said, but who said it. And that’s not the way to give negative feedback.

1. Get your emotions under control. You don’t want to critique someone else’s actions when you are angry or upset. You are likely to say something you don’t really mean or to react poorly to something that is said to you.

2. Find a private place. No one wants to receive negative feedback in front of others. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but that should be a last resort. Call a meeting in your corner, call the Scout into a vacant room, or take him/her for a walk.

3. Focus on the action, not on the person. You create an immediate barrier when you criticize the person. Focus instead on what you want to change. Focus on his/her performance.

4. Be specific. It does no good to tell a Scout “you have a bad attitude.” You need to identify specific actions the Scout took or specify what he/she said if you want him/her to understand.

5. Be timely. Negative feedback should be given as soon as possible after the event. For example, if you see a Scout being rude to another Scout, don’t wait until the performance review to tell him/her. How many other Scouts will he/she have angered in the meantime? Call him/her to the meeting room right away.

6. Be calm. ’t yell and scream. The Scout will become defensive and won’t hear what you are trying to tell him/her.

7. Reaffirm your faith in the Scout. This reinforces step three, but here you tell the Scout that you still have faith in him/her as a person and in his/her abilities; it’s just his/her performance you want him/her to change. Say something like “you’re a responsible Scout leader, so I’m sure you see the need to be more patient with the other leaders.”

8. Stop talking. After you have told the Scout what specific, recent actions were inappropriate, and why, stop talking. Give him/her a chance to respond to or refute your statements. Listen to what he/she has to say.

9. Define positive steps. Agree on what future performance is appropriate for the Scout. If there are specific things the Scout needs to start doing or needs to stop doing, be sure they are clearly identified. If there is something you need to do, perhaps additional training for the Scout, agree on that as well.

10. Get over it. After you have given the negative feedback and agreed on a resolution, move on with the project. Don’t harbor ill will towards the Patrol because the Scouts made a mistake. Don’t hover over them out of fear that they might make another mistake. Monitor their performance as you do to other Scouts.

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What you Need:

patience a calm mind a private place a sense of humor

Challenge Lesson 3 teaches you the ways of giving feedback. It tells you about the two different ways of giving feedback and their effective delivery – that is from negative delivery to positive delivery. Then again, it shows you the appropriate approaches in delivering positive and/or negative feedback.

As a Scoutmaster/Leader, how do you deliver your feedback to your Scouts? Are they delivered right? Applying what you have learned from this part of the Module, write ashort essay on how you are going to assess your way of delivering feedback and the points that you would like to change.

“As long as feedback is given in a non-judgmental and appropriate way, it is a valuable piece of information for learning and for our continued development as a person.”

Lesson 4: Receiving FeedbackWhen was the last time you received a feedback from another person? How did you react to what he/she said? Was it a good or bad experience?

Supposing one of your fellow Scoutmasters/Leaders gave his/her opinions on how you teach your Scouts. He/she criticized your style and attitude towards teaching. How would you respond to this kind of feedback giver?

Checkpoint! I. Direction: Determine which style of accepting feedback the following behaviors are showing. Write the answers on the blank provided.

___1. Verbally criticizes the feedback giver

___2. Listens carefully and tries to understand the meaning of the feedback

___3. Accepts the feedback without denial

___4. Doesn’t make any attempt to hear or understand the meaning of the feedback

___5. Genuinely wants to make personal changes if needed

___6. Listens, but shows little interest

___7. Finds explanations for feedback that dissolves any of your personal responsibility

A. OpenB. ClosedC. SincereD. AttackingE. AcceptingF. PatronizingG. RationalizingH. Active ListeningI. Inactive Listening

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II. Direction: Encircle the letter that describes the emotional process in each number.A. DenialB. AngerC. WithdrawalD. Acceptance

8. Denying the feedback after receiving it9. Reflecting and pondering on the feedback10. Assessing the value and consequences of the feedback

Are you done? Review each number and if you’re pretty sure of your answers, turn to the Quick Check page and check your paper.

Hi! It’s nice that you have finally arrived at this part of the Module. Contrary to what you have learned at the first part, today you will study the other side of feedback; you will now learn how to receive feedback.

From the previous lessons, you learned that feedback is a type of communication that we either give or get. It is a way of letting the people know how well they are doing. For some, it is called “criticism”, but this seriously limits its meaning.

However, people have different perceptions about accepting feedback. Some people look at feedback as pure criticism and don’t want to hear it. Others only want to hear praise but nothing that would suggest imperfections. But then, there are also some people who accept feedback, even if it is sometimes disturbing, because they believe that they can grow from it. How you receive feedback depends on how you perceive it, whether it will harm or benefit you. Below are examples of the different styles of accepting feedback that Phil Rich categorized. In what style can you categorize yourself?

Negative/Closed Style:1. Defensive: You always defend your actions and frequently objects to feedback given.2. Attacking: You verbally attack the feedback giver, and turn the table.3. Denying: You refute the accuracy or fairness of the feedback.4. Disrespectful: You devalue the speaker, what he/she is saying or his/her right to give feedback.5. Closed: You ignore the feedback, and are often listening blankly without interest.6. Inactive listening: You don’t make an attempt to “hear” or understand the meaning of the feedback.7. Rationalizing: You find explanations for the feedback that dissolves any of your personal responsibilities.8. Patronizing: You listen, but show little interest.9. Superficial: You listen and agree, but you give an impression that the feedback will have little actual effect.

Positive/ Open Style:1. Open: You listen without frequent interruption or objections.2. Responsive: You are willing to hear what is being said without turning the table.3. Accepting: You accept the feedback without denial.4. Respectful: You recognize the value of what is being said and the speaker’s right to say it.5. Engaged: You interact appropriately with the speaker and ask him/her for clarification when needed.6. Active Listening: You listen carefully and try to understand the meaning of the feedback.7. Thoughtful: You try to understand your personal behavior that has led to the feedback.8. Interested: You are genuinely interested in getting the feedback.9. Sincere: You genuinely want to make personal changes, if appropriate.

These various styles of accepting or receiving feedback is one way of helping you understand more of yourself; of how you are as a feedback receiver. We don’t expect an abrupt change in the attitude or behavior, for receiving feedback depends solely on the person who receives it.

Remember: “You cannot change what you don’t believe needs to be changed.”

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Here are some tips that can help you in accepting feedback:1. Don’t shy away from constructive feedback; welcome it.2. Accept feedback of any sort for what it is—information.3. Listen to the feedback and record what you’re hearing the other person say.4. Evaluate the feedback before responding.5. Further explore the issues—gather some information, critically look at your past behavior, how the situation you’re in affects what you are able to do.6. You can create your own improvement plan. Find someone you trust to help you improve and ask for more feedback on a regular basis to judge how well you’re doing.

The feedback emotional roller coasterIn receiving feedback, we usually undergo an emotional roller coaster. That is, we feel different emotions first before we finally are able to accept the feedback. That’s why when giving and receiving feedback, try to bear in mind the emotional roller coaster suggested by the acronym.

D A W A

DENIALWhen people first receive feedback, they have a tendency to deny it. Please avoid immediate defensiveness — arguing, denying and justifying. This just gets in the way of your appreciation of the information you are being given.

ANGERAfter the denial stage comes anger! So you’ve been told that your work is not as good as what it ought to be. You’ve said, “It’s as good as always” so you are denying it, then you become angry as it stews in your mind and body. The immediate reaction is to fume!

WITHDRAWALAfter the anger has calmed down—“normal.” This is when time is taken out to mull over the feedback and think about what it actually means.

ACCEPTANCEThe person has had time to reflect and ponder on the feedback. “Well, I have been making more mistakes than this.” The final part of this model is finally accepting the feedback, assessing its value and the consequences of ignoring it, or using it. “I HAVE been making mistakes!”

ChallengeThis lesson talks about the ways of receiving feedback. It also categorizes the styles of receiving feedback. The “closed” feedback receivers are those people who generally don’t accept feedback. They dismiss or view feedback as a personal attack. “Open” feedback receivers are usually the opposite of “closed” feedback receivers. They view feedback as something positive and are generally open to modification or rectification.

How do you categorize most of your Scouts? Do most of them belong to the “closed” feedback receivers or to the open feedback receivers? Explain. Make a table classifying your Scouts according to how they accept feedback. Specify which type of feedback receiver each one is. I assure you that this will greatly help you and your fellow Scout Leaders to deal well with your Scouts.

Hmmm...I guess I have already discussed almost all things that you need to know in giving and receiving feedback - its definition, the principles, the effective and ineffective ways of giving feedback, as well as the positive and negative ways of receiving it.

However, these are all theoretical aspects. Having high scores in the self-assessment questions does not necessarily mean that you are already an effective feedback giver. I hope that you would be able to apply what you have learned from this Module.

Have a nice day!

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Answers to

Lesson 1: Definition1. B. A lexical definition of feedback is a response to one in authority on an activity.2. D. Feedback is a communication that we give and get. usually have this notion that feedback is a one-way process, probably that’s your belief if you answered either A or B.3. C. Criiticisms, usually, are used for improvement. Prayers, however, don’t necessarily reinforce performances, and so with arguments. So, the answer is ‘praises.’4. C. Criticisms are used for improvement.5. A. Defining feedback as criticisms only limits real meaning.

Hi! So how are your scores? Did you get a perfect score? If yes, then you really know what feedback is. If not, don’t worry, this only serves as your warm-up. I have prepared several questions for you to have a glimpse of what we are going to study on that part of module.

1. D. Self-Assessment makes the Scouts assume more responsibility for their performance2. A. You should focus on 1-2 critical areas only.3. B. Action plan the guide used in monitoring the achievement or the performance of a person.4. D. the conversation with a positive note.5. D. Positive Reinforcement is very effective in bringing about change.6. A. Corrective feedback should be given in a private place.7. B. is intangible.8. A. Corrective behaviors should be pointed out at the beginning of the conversation.9. B. This praise should be given as soon as possible after behavior has occurred.10. D. Corrective feedback should be given before the person exhibits the behavior again.

So how was it? Did you get a good score? If you got 9-10 points, then congratulations! You have an exact knowledge about the lesson and are now ready to move on to the next topics of the Module.

If you got 6-8 points, then it’s not bad at all! You should be proud of yourself, because you quite understood the principles of feedback.

However, if you got a score of 1-5, don’t be disappointed. You’ve greatly done your part and some questions are really tough. Don’t worry, turning the pages back again and reading the topic won’t do you harm, will it?

Answers to Lesson 3: Giving Feedback

1. B. Publicly. While negative feedback should be given privately, positive feedback should be given publicly. It might even boost the person’s self-confidence

2. B. Be sincere. Sincerity should always be present when giving feedback.

3. A. Calm. Having a calm mind in delivering negative feedback would keep the person givingit from something that would offend the person receiving the feedback.

4. B. Stop talking and listen. Give the person a chance to refute your statements. In that way, you’ll have a better understanding of the behavior and of the person as well.

5. Hit-and-run a type of feedback giver who is usually not available for longer discussions. He/she is usually in a hurry that’s why other people are confused about his/her stand.

6. A. Attack attacks the personal traits of a person instead of focusing on the behavior that he/she wants to change.

7. B. These people, the inconsiderate are usually perceived as insensitive and thoughtless since they give no thought to the time and place when they will give their feedback.

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8. B. Be prompt. Feedback can capitalize on strengths and improve on-the -job performance.

9. D. Be sensitive. Take into consideration the time and place. Present feedback whether positive or negative, at an appropriate time and setting.

10. D. Be brief. In giving feedback, we should briefly discuss the person’s current behavior, so that s/he will not be overwhelmed.

Did you learn from the questions and the answers as well?

Well, if you got 9-10 points, congratulations! You did a great job. Determining ‘which is which’ can sometimes be confusing, yet you got a high score!

However, getting 6-8 is not bad after all. Some questions might be confusing.A score of 1-5 should not burden you. The types of feedback giver and their likes are not that familiar to us so don’t worry. At least, you realized that there are many types of feedback giver and you only know a few. So start learning the topic.

Answers to Lesson 4: Receiving Feedback

Part I.1. D. Attacking is the type of feedback receiver who verbally attacks the speaker.

2. H. Active listening is practiced by one who listens carefully and understands the meaning of the feedback.

3. E. Accepting is the person who accepts the feedback without denial.

4. I. Inactive listening is the type who doesn’t make any attempt to hear the/she feedback.

5. C. Sincere the person who wants to make personal changes, if necessary.

6. F. Patronizing listens, but shows little interest.

7. G. Rationalizing finds explanations for feedback given to him / her.

Part II8. A. Denial is the first stage when the person tends to deny the feedback once he/she receives it.

9. D. Acceptance is the last stage when the person assesses the value of the feedback.

10. C. Withdrawal is the stage when the person has the chance for reflection.

So what was the result? Did you find it satisfying? If you got a score of 9-10, well what more can I say? Thumbs up to you, man!

If you got 6-8 points, then you must have had great background knowledge about the different styles of accepting feedback. Maybe turning the page back to Lesson 3 and reading the topic where you made mistakes is not bad, isn’t it? But if you got a score of 1-5, don’t feel bad. Many people don’t know these things either. Even I didn’t know that accepting feedback really has various styles. Cheer up and return to the pages of the lesson to have a full understanding of the topic.

Reference:Jerome, P J. (1995). Coaching through effective feedback. London: Kogan Page.(http://www.selfhe/shelpmagazine.com/articles/growth/feedback.html)(http://management.about.com/cs/peoplemanagement/ht/positivefb.htm)(http://management.about.com/cs/peoplemanagement/ht/negativefb.htm)

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