Pledge Education Course

[Royal_Blue_True]

Originally Posted by naraht

I've been told that at the *extreme* end that pledging should take no more time than one class, this isn't there. But I've seen things tested for in other chapters in pledging that my chapter wouldn't have even thought about. I know one chapter expects the entire purpose to be memorized (because there is a youtube video of a pledge singing it to Yankee Doodle) and I know of at least two chapters where the pledges are expected to know the pledge class of every active brother and what position they had in it.

I also wouldn't make it that much beyond what the current brothers know. If an active brother would fail the test, its either too hard or the actives need a refresher course. I definitely would test the following: Greek Alphabet, anything on the APO Symbols page(Golden Eagle, etc.), chapters in the section, location of section/region, etc.

I also *thoroughly* support extra credit questions given in advance *with* the understanding that the pledges can share that information among them. These could be things like (at various levels of difficulty)
For 5 points, where is Zeta Pi chapter of APO-Philippines? (Marian College) For 5 more points, on what two days did it charter. 12/3/83 (Fraternity) & 12/7/83 (Sorority)

For 5 points, what section was Wayne State in prior to 55? (54) For 5 more points when did it change (between the Spring 2005 and Spring 2006 conferences, so August of 2005 officially, I believe)

For 5 more points, what section was it in prior to 54? (19) For 5 more points, when did it change (Between Con-con and the 1968 convention).

Note, any pledge who manages to track down the answers to all 6 of these extra credit questions should be initiated on the spot and made historian.

Wow, I had no idea about all of that, and I was pledge class historian when I pledged.

Our pledge education course is 10 weeks, and each week, Pledges are asked to read about 10 pages of the pledge manual. I hand out 1-2 worksheets that highlight the main points in the pledge manual, and on those worksheets are 10 questions that can be answered in 1-2 sentences IF THEY READ( as college students usually don't do). We go over the worksheets in the next class. If a pledge completes the worksheets, they will have no problem with the tests, due to the fact that I use the same questions from the worksheets on the test.

On each test, there is one extra credit question worth anywhere from 12 to 24 points.
Those questions ask pledges to write out the Scout Oath, Scout Law, one verse of the Toast Song, name all the chapters in Section 55, write a short biography of The Chief, etc. The points correspond to the difficulty of what the question asks.

Since those are extra credit, they aren't all or nothing type questions; whatever you write correctly is the number of points you get.

The sheets will also be available to the actives; and don't worry; I don't test on difficult or esoteric things that even actives can't be expected to know.

Knowing that, do you feel that is comparable to a regular course, lighter, or heavier?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

Wow, I had no idea about all of that, and I was pledge class historian when I pledged.

Our pledge education course is 10 weeks, and each week, Pledges are asked to read about 10 pages of the pledge manual. I hand out 1-2 worksheets that highlight the main points in the pledge manual, and on those worksheets are 10 questions that can be answered in 1-2 sentences IF THEY READ( as college students usually don't do). We go over the worksheets in the next class. If a pledge completes the worksheets, they will have no problem with the tests, due to the fact that I use the same questions from the worksheets on the test.

On each test, there is one extra credit question worth anywhere from 12 to 24 points.
Those questions ask pledges to write out the Scout Oath, Scout Law, one verse of the Toast Song, name all the chapters in Section 55, write a short biography of The Chief, etc. The points correspond to the difficulty of what the question asks.

Since those are extra credit, they aren't all or nothing type questions; whatever you write correctly is the number of points you get.

The sheets will also be available to the actives; and don't worry; I don't test on difficult or esoteric things that even actives can't be expected to know.

Knowing that, do you feel that is comparable to a regular course, lighter, or heavier?

Don't feel bad. Not only don't they let me participate in APO Trivia contests, they've gotten wary of me running them as well.

Sounds *quite* reasonable. Though if you actually test the pledges on any of the three pages in the Graphical Standards Guide (37-39), I will track you down and...

[Royal_Blue_True]

Originally Posted by naraht

Don't feel bad. Not only don't they let me participate in APO Trivia contests, they've gotten wary of me running them as well.

Sounds *quite* reasonable. Though if you actually test the pledges on any of the three pages in the Graphical Standards Guide (37-39), I will track you down and...

LOL!

Glad you think that is reasonable, and NO WAY will I test on the graphics standards!

I could, however, make that a punishment...... *cue evil laugh*

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

LOL!

Glad you think that is reasonable, and NO WAY will I test on the graphics standards!

I could, however, make that a punishment...... *cue evil laugh*

Hmm. I don't know what Hank Nuwer would say about that....

[Royal_Blue_True]

Originally Posted by naraht

Hmm. I don't know what Hank Nuwer would say about that....

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

Keep us up to date as the semester goes along. BTW, any luck contacting UDMercy?

[Royal_Blue_True]

Originally Posted by naraht

Keep us up to date as the semester goes along. BTW, any luck contacting UDMercy?

Sent an email, left a voicemail, no luck.
I will make a quick trip to UDM as soon as the semester is underway to see what we can get worked out.
I will most definitely keep everyone up to date, you all have been so much help!