1. Understanding Pathfinders
Basic Pathfinder Staff Training Course
February 7th, 2010
Presenter: Tyronne Waldron 1

2. Objective
To develop an understanding of the developmental needs of Pathfinder-age young people and how to relate to them effectively. 2

3. Questions What is the age of Golden memory?
At what age are we most awkward? Why?

4. Generally Pre-Adolescence (9-12) Full of noise and ceaseless activity
Slow growth and boundless health
Tendency for independence and self-assertion
Quick to learn and have amazing power of recall
Great admiration of skilled people
Love hero stories
Lively interest in religion
Naturally want to commit to Christ
adventurers tend to be very interested in bible stories and are enthusiastic about God. This spills over into the early pathfinders years.
Question: Which age group of kids forget their Bible most at club meetings? 4

5. Alert and very eager to investigate Love stories and good books
Mentally:
Golden age of memory
Alert and very eager to investigate
Love stories and good books
Collect any and every thing
Memory – if you don’t make them use it now they would have problems using it later.
Alert – They like to take things apart and see how they are made. Build models
Collect – some educators say that around 90% of kids this age collect one thing or another. This is a fabulous age for studying pathfinder honours 5

6. Healthiest period of life Well-balanced body and mind Restless
Physically:
Healthiest period of life
Well-balanced body and mind
Restless
Health - They could run around forever at this age – and often do
Some also begin to develop strong body odours and they are not aware of it.
Balance B & M- Before this age things involving balance and coordination are often difficult. It all comes together in the pre-adolescence years. Drilling and Marching.
Restless – This is a restless period when a child can’t sit still and be good. The pathfinder has an innate desire to exercise his lungs, which makes the conventionalities and confines of a class room too narrow for their boundless and boisterous activities 6

7. Likes secret codes and adventure Learning teamwork Loves to explore
Socially:
Likes secret codes and adventure
Learning teamwork
Loves to explore
Hero worship
Little interest in opposite sex
Little interest in opposite sex – not going to last for much longer  7

8. Keen interest in spiritual things Peak age of baptism (12)
Spiritually:
Keen interest in spiritual things
Peak age of baptism (12)
Like witnessing and delights in awards
Loves truth and honesty
Credulity makes religious instruction easier
Credulity – in order word because they are gullible indoctrinate them. Set that foundation. The age of questioning and reasoning would come 8

9. Generally Early Adolescence (13-15) Rapid growth and awkwardness
Embarrassment and fear of physical life
Belonging to peer group is paramount
Interest in the opposite sex and bashfulness
Mental development accelerates/more critical
Day-dreaming about future life
religious interest continues; prefers experience rather than the facts
Selfless and want to make a difference
Rapid growth – loose coordination of mind and body. Trip because legs are longer than they use to be etc. Can you remember such a time?
Embrassment – Nose, mouth, feet etc grow more rapidly than the rest of their body causing the ‘ugly duckling feeling’
Peer group even begins to recede and interest in opposite sex comes to the front
Religious experience – if you indoctrinated before then they will be testing now. 9

10. Alert but with day-dreaming periods
Mentally:
Alert but with day-dreaming periods
Learns quickly
Boys – scientific data; girls - homemaking 10

11. Rapid growth and appetite Massive muscular development
Physically:
Health is excellent
Rapid growth and appetite
Massive muscular development
Sex organs develop/rapid changes
Growth rate changes
Health – second only to pre adolescence
Rapid changes – that’s rapid biological changes. New hormones develop sexual instincts which influence behaviour. 11

12. Seek more individual freedom Wanting to make money
Socially:
Seek group approval
Seek more individual freedom
Wanting to make money
Frequent changes in mood
Likes can appear extreme
Huge interest in opposite sex
Group approval – loyalty to peers is big. They are afraid of being different from the group.
Frequent mood changes – this isn’t happy to sad etc. It is generous in the morning greedy in the evening. Self-centred at one time timid at another 12

13. Waning interest in spiritual things/group dictates
Spiritually:
Waning interest in spiritual things/group dictates
Good age of baptism (13)
Life’s work is determined
Less demonstration of spiritual feelings
Conflict with conscience
Often at this age a career choice begins to form or is determined. It is therefore important to hold the Christian values and the importance of finishing the work before them. 13

14. Generally Middle Adolescence (16-17) Accelerated growth in males
Reach full height
Develops in individuality and now becomes persons in their own right 14

15. Questions everything and desires proof
Mentally:
Questions everything and desires proof
Respects scholars
Ideals are shaped and there is a desire to attain them
No more indoctrination now! Now dealing with mini men and little ladies
The will often accept as an answer something held to be truth by someone with a well known name. 15

16. Sexually, they are a force to reckon with
Physically:
Sexually, they are a force to reckon with
85% height and weight
Muscles developed
Likes physical fitness
Sexually - TED Camporee 2006 – BUC Staff was busy keeping the little explorers in their tents. Alarms were going off on mobile phone. Text message were floating around the air. ..and apparently the mystical hours were between 12 and 1 am 16

17. Likes cliques and special friends Critical and brutally frank
Socially:
Likes cliques and special friends
Critical and brutally frank
Very sensitive and guided by public opinion
Cliques – This is different from the group approval stage of the early adolescence. They not looking for approval as much. They now like to be with who approves of them so to speak. They do still want to please their peers and social groups. 17

18. Spiritual (and social) values become paramount or they loose interest
Spiritually:
Spiritual (and social) values become paramount or they loose interest
What has not been done in laying a foundation to base his or her thinking on, now becomes difficult to do. 18

19. Characteristics of Adolescence
Restlessness
Curiosity
Vivid Imagination
Dramatic Instinct
Group life
Uniformity
Conscience
Mastery
New Experience
Security
Restlessness – due to the imbalance between physical and mental growth
Curiosity natures gift to the adolescence to aid the gathering of knowledge. Stimulate it
Imagination – This makes stories and illustrations effective teaching tools
Dramatic instinct – the seed from which optimism of later years will spring
Uniformity – clubs, secret codes, gangs, uniforms, choirs, camp – strong appeal at this age. The church must be ready to satisfy this urge
Conscience – sensitive and responsive during these years
Mastery – recognition for goals attained provides the greatest stimulus to future conquests
New Experience – counsellors should evaluate activities of the club from this standpoint
Security – no healthy personality develops where there is fear. Replace with confidence and security 19

20. What are the implications for Club Leadership and Management?20

21. Basic Principles of Effective Club Discipline
Morale, or Club spirit, is the tangible element that determines the success of any Pathfinder Club. All Pathfinders and staff members will need to work together in developing a sense of unity and belonging, and maintaining interest and enthusiasm. 21

22. Basic Principles of Effective Club Discipline
Morale, or Club spirit, is the tangible element that determines the success of any Pathfinder Club. All Pathfinders and staff members will need to work together in developing a sense of unity and belonging, and maintaining interest and enthusiasm.

23. Check List Attendance Home Contact Round-table Discussions
Spiritual Objectives
Attendance
Home Contact
Round-table Discussions
Unit Captains’ Council
Making Members Welcome
Putting Friends Together 23

24. Check List Reviewing the Counsellors’ Work
Planning a Balanced Programme
Developing Unit Cohesiveness
Pathfinder Meeting Place
Equipment
Camping Equipment
Teaching Materials 24

25. Pathfinder Club Discipline
The goal of disciplining children must be to guide them as sons and daughters of God; to show them love and understanding; to teach them God’s character as revealed in order and discipline; to make them useful members of the church and community; to help them respect their leaders and parents 25

26. Feel that they are being born into a new experience
Pathfinders must
Feel that they are being born into a new experience
Learn that they are being loved by the kind of correction and discipline they receive
Learn to discipline their desires 26

27. Good Discipline
Provides an environment that supports cheerful attitudes and cooperative behaviour
Emphasises guidance rather than restraint; constructive rather than destructive
Enables not cripples
Encourages self-control and purposeful activity
Is present not seen
Teaches a child to do the right thing at the right time in the right way and for the right reason
Prevents trouble 27

28. How to Keep Discipline
A well-planned programme will avoid problems and mistakes. Order and system inspire confidence.
Children learn by example.
Club meeting starts on time – staff are there before the start of the programme and the programme runs smoothly to its conclusion. 28

29. Guidance for Balanced Discipline
Establish rules and regulations and a point system
Rules should be few, well-considered and enforceable
Present devotional admonition on discipline, explaining the Pledge and Law
Counsel with guilty youth before disciplinary action. Pray with them
Parents need to understand the importance of Club disciplinary training 29

30. Proper Administration of Discipline
The CORRECT Way:
Inspire right and order by love, kindness and consistent example
Win confidence
Show love to youth by kindness
Expect loyal cooperation
Develop trust, compliance, cooperation and love 30

31. Improper Administration of Discipline
The WRONG Way:
Crush or break the spirit
Use of strict force
Result: development of distrust, evasiveness and hatred for authority 31

32. Prevention of Discipline Problems
Plan an extensive program of activities
Never go to meetings unprepared
Be friendly, caring and approachable
Cultivate a sense of humour
Avoid the use of ridicule and sarcasm
Don’t be a fault finder
Be fair and impartial
Show self-control
Watch the use of your voice
Maintain eye contact
Give clear, precise instructions and commands
Eliminate mannerisms that could lead to ridicule 32

33. Punishable Offences Clear and unjustifiable insubordination Indecency
Impudence to counsellor
Offensive language
Injuring others
Damaging property
Cheating and stealing 33

34. Methods of Discipline Do Give personal counsel Use group judgement
Take care of individual difference
Expel if necessary
Don’t
Punish is anger
Use threats
Force apologies in public
Detain after club meeting
Assign extra tasks
Apply “Dunce Cap” discipline
Use corporal punishment 34

35. Discipline Procedures
Speak tactfully
Explain what is expected
Have a private visit and pray
Privately counsel together with Pathfinder
Earnestly solicit cooperation
Pray with Pathfinder 35

36. Discipline Procedures
Counsel with Pathfinder
Convey the seriousness of the matter
Pray together
Make appointment to meet parents/carer
Private visit and Pray with Pathfinder
Refer to Disciplinary Committee
Notify Parents of meeting
Visit Pathfinder during ‘vacation time’

37. We’re almost done just 45 minutes to go!37