I have taught an Archery class through Boy Scouts of America this past summer at Camp Mountain Run. My experience started off interesting because I have never taught an outdoor activity to any of the scouts in my life. How did I get the opportunity to teach Archery? Well, it started around right before camp season started, while everyone on staff was preparing the camp for troops. I was positioned in Assisting Shooting Sports at the rifle range, along with being as a "Site Guide." Originally, I wanted to teach Public Speaking merit badge so the scouts can learn how they can control their stage freights when speaking to the audience in front of the class.What also came to me is that this would also help youth get used to, especially if they plan to go to college. During the week of the setup, the Camp Program Director, Chuck Lines, offered me to teach Archery merit badge for this summer. I didn't want to take this opportunity because I had no experience of archery, but eventually I had to because I was at that proper age to run the program. Two of the other staff members offered to help me run through all of safety rules, parts of a recurve bow, and equipment. It did not take me that long to follow-up everything that I needed to know, although there were a few minor stuff I had to quickly learn while teaching. Chuck wrote me a lesson plan about which requirement to do for five days. I did not like the plan, so I changed it to make it easier for youth. It was also a good thing because there were some scouts, who had to make up 80 points for requirement 5F-1-B. There was also an issue where some of the youth had to finish making their arrows from a bare shaft.
Jumping to starting off the class. First week of Boy Scout went well, although I did not attend a full week of teaching due to surgery appointment on a Thursday. On Monday, it was an interesting experience because I never taught a class that I had no knowledge of. Luckily, it was the first day where you meet with everyone and talk about all of safety when you are out in the field. The only mistake I made that day was, I did not give out some time to practice shooting. The following day, I managed to get the scout to do two rounds of practice before making it official. What kinda surprise me is almost every scout made it up close to 100 points, some went over. I felt bad though that I did not make any "Top Shot" awards to any of scouts who scored the most out of the whole competition. The downfall was that I didn't get to offer Open Archery so that it would be fair with everyone to come to the field and compete with others. On Wednesday, I went over making a bowstring out of Dacron string on a Bowstring Jig. While showing the scouts, I mentioned how you can make a jig out of a log and two-four nails or by hand; in which I took the time to make one and it was not fun. On Thursday, I had to start off the class by giving out details on what they will be working on. Before I had to leave, another staff member had to take over the class for the rest of the week. That was all of what went on during the first week of Boy Scouts. At the beginning of second week, I managed to adjust my lesson plan so every youth doesn't feel exhausted. This adjustment made everything seemed easier to run this class. The rest of the week was the same scenario, except I was able to teach for a whole week and got the opportunity to have Open Archery. For the rest of the weeks of Boy Scouts, every scout enjoyed being there to learn what they needed to know about Archery.
After three weeks of Boy Scouts, the staff rearranged their areas before Cub Scout week began. Of course same plan as before, except we were assign on what to teach. What I did not like about the schedule is whoever scheduled classes, did not add pins. To me, this didn't seem fair with everyone including the staff. Mostly because you don't have a lot of time to teach Webelos pin requirements while supervising younger cubs. In some areas, depending on how big the class is, you can do that, but in some areas, like shooting sports or aquatics, it requires more than one supervision. Luckily, I had a good decent size classes to teach both Archery Belt Loop and Pin. Same as what I did, I went over most of the safety; after that requirement, younger cub scouts got the chance to shoot while I went over more requirements to Webelos. As easy as it was, every scouts enjoyed shooting at targets with bow and arrows. They do look forward on coming back next year to go for Archery merit badge.
I had a great time teaching Archery, as well as working at summer camp. Next year I would like to stay in the same position, on the other hand though, I have to do internship for college next summer of 2015. I do hope everybody enjoyed reading my experience. This will help anyone who is also teaching Archery merit badge at their local camp. Incase if you do need a plan of how you can teach Archery merit badge within four days, I am willing to reply back and share how you can accomplish it.
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