Daisy Troop Government

The Daisy Girl Scout Circle is the form of Troop Government used by Daisy Girl Scouts. It is a structure used by Daisy Girl Scouts to being learning about the process of group decision-making. Group decision-making is the factor that makes Girl Scouting different and unique from most other organizations for girls.

Girls begin to learn that decision-making process by actually making simple choices. The Leader works in partnership with them to implement their decisions. You will probably organize the girls into a circle for sharing, learning new things, or problem solving at every meeting. A Daisy Girl Scout Circle should be different than a simple sharing circle. It is the Daisy Girl Scout vehicle for managing the process of planning troop activities.

What is the Leader’s Role

• Plan for facilitating a Daisy Girl Scout Circle that involves discussion and decisions about activities about twice a month.
• Make it different than the usual gathering by using a talking stick or some other object that makes it more formal
• Offer suggestions and encouragement.
• Make sure each girl has a chance to say what she wants the group to do.
• Help the Daisy Girl Scouts focus on deciding
• Limit final choices to two or three options
• Make sure the final decision is a consensus, where everyone agrees, rather than a vote, where the majority wins and the minority loses.
• Make sure you incorporate the ideas generated by the Daisy Girl Scouts into the Troop program, and point out each time that the activity was their idea

Making Decisions by Consensus

Consensus means that all group members “win” at least in part that a compromise has been reached that all can support. It is a working agreement. Everyone feels that careful consideration has been given to all points of view. Girls need to be taught and prepared to make group decisions from the Daisy Girl Scout program age level to Senior Girl Scouts. Think about how each of the following indicators of group readiness applies to Girl Scouts you work with.

• They are a team: the group needs to be practiced at being a group. As a team, they will often be choosing to met one another’s needs, to appreciate one another, to understand each member’s point of view, to share leadership, to be committed to the group’s goals, and to trust one another. A group of strangers can be a team, also, if they know and are willing to commit themselves to the process. A well functioning group will be able to welcome newcomers easily, and integrate them into the process.
• Assertiveness: the group will be displaying a high degree of assertiveness in their interactions with one another. They will make direct statements of opinion, listen to one another, and will be self-confident and display lots of self-esteem. Assertiveness does not mean the same thing as aggressiveness.
• They are flexible: in a group, they are able to compromise, they have the ability to change
• They are knowledgeable: they know the process of dialogue, discussion, listening, and they are cooperative rather than competitive
• They have a mutual purpose: the group plans together, they own all the goals and believe them to be important, they know the plan.
• As a group, there is a commitment to resolve conflict. They make the choice to work towards a solution rather than to defend their personal position.

How to help girls generate ideas

Brainstorming — ask for ideas and record them so everyone can see the list. Try for as may ideas as possible. Don’t let anyone “put down” another’s idea. Then evaluate the list, prioritizing, and discussing them until the ideas are narrowed down.

Storyboarding — everyone writes or draws their ideas on a piece of paper.
They are all taped to the wall randomly. Then they are sorted into categories, discussed, and prioritized.

Round Robin — the Leader goes round the group systematically and asks each girl for an idea. The ideas are recorded. Anyone may pass. Continue going around the group until no one has further ideas. Prioritize and discuss the pros and cons.

How to make the final decision

Heads Down, Hands Up — have the girls put their heads down and have them raise their hand to vote for the idea they like the best. Putting their heads down helps the girls to decide what they would like to do without influence from the rest of the troop.

Brownie Girl Scout Ring

What Happens in a Brownie Girl Scout Ring?

Gather

• Have the girls together to form the ring

Have an opening

• A song
• Girl scout promise
• Flag ceremony

Sharing

• A few words from each girl
• A discussion
• Celebrate a girl or event

Discussion, Decisions, Planning

• Use planning steps
• Use a talking sign to help girls listen
• Each girl participates and expresses ideas
• Discuss rules
• Choose activities
• Learn about money and budget
• Assign tasks- Kaper Chart
• Choose buddies for an activity or outing

Learn new things

• New songs
• Story
• New behavior
• Learn about Girl Scouts in other towns, states or countries
• Walk through an upcoming event

Problem Solving

• Discuss the facts
• Invite ideas for solutions
• Choose a solution together to try out
• Role play and practice the solution
• Evaluate after trying out a solution

Troop business

• Messages to take home
• Gather dues
• Pass the attendance check off sheet
• Vote

Evaluation

• Discuss what they liked and disliked
• What would they change or do different

Kaper Chart

Identify what jobs need to be done at a meeting.

• Rotate responsibly
• Assign a small group to do the task
• Have enough tasks to assign each girl a kaper.

Junior and older Scout Troop Government

Patrols

• Small groups of girls
• Patrol leader leads group and presents ideas to the other groups

Executive Board

• Group of officers

Town Meeting (with a moderator)

• Moderator
• Open discussion

Kaper Chart

• Identify what jobs need to be done at a meeting
  • Rotate responsibly
  • Assign a small group to do the task
  • Have enough tasks to assign each girl a kaper

Games Go Global

Kaper Chart Ideas

Suggested "Jobs"

help set up tables get flag lead flag salute lead the pledge lead the girl scout promise take attendance attendance (use smilie stickers) handling supplies special helper read kapers dues (we collect $1 each mtg.) pass out paper(s)

collect paperwork (permissions slips, badge work sheets) choose a song choose a game take pictures snacker pass out snack clean-up after snack (2) Clean-up x2 lead good-bye game help take down tables snacks flag bearer

drinks plates napkins friendship squeeze starter promise bathroom buddy lead an activity Flag Bearer Promise Keeper Law Keeper Attendance Checker Dues Collector

Stick Starter Happy Hostess Thankful Scout Creative Crafter Game Girl Song Bird Clean Up Clean Gathering Granny Blessing Leader's Helper Clean up Captain bring a book

Chart Ideas

"A Job for Everybody"
Daniele V., Troop 563, Rolling Hills Council

I put all the different jobs on a felt piece of material. We had a job for each girl. We have 10 girls so we had Meeting Starter, she rang a triangle to get order in the troop, flag holder, pledge starter, promise starter, picture taker, attendance taker, song starter, squeeze starter and 2 bridge leaders. I had each of the girls bring in a picture and we put it on a foam daisy since all of the girls couldn't read yet. Each week I just rotated the daisy's around the chart. The girls loved this they always came into the meeting and went to the chart to see their job. I didn't have a clean up because I felt they should all clean up and whoever was signed up for snack did the snack.

"Take a slip"
Laurie, Troop 271, Utah

We put all the jobs that needed doing for that specific meeting on a slip of paper and put the slips of paper in a big bowl next to the Roll/Sign-in sheet. As the girls came to the meeting, she would pick a slip of paper from the bowl and write her name on the sign-in sheet and the kaper next to her name. She kept the slip of paper in her pocket so that if she forgot what her job was, she could pull it out and look at it. The leaders could look at the sign-in sheet and see that everyone had a job to do.

"Busy Bees"
Amanda H., Troop 115, Milwaukee, WI

Our troop has 11 Daisies, so I needed to figure out how to fit them all. So what I did was made a sunflower, with the petals being the tasks, and bumble bees, bees them! I attached them with velcro. so that way they can be removed and each one can take a turn. I also wanted something that we could use for many years. You need black beans for the center and yellow and orange florescent paper as the petals. I then glued them to a foam board with an sky background. The girls love it!! I pull their names out of a bag and let them pick there job for the day. No more arguing and frustration.

"The Ever Useful Coffee Can!"
Nicki, Troop 390, Middle Creek

We use a coffee can with the kapers listed around the outside of the can. Each girl put her name on a craft stick then glued them to the clip clothes pins. Then we attach the pin to the top of the can lined up with the kaper.

"Spin That Wheel!"
Kecia, Troop 1121, Orange County, CA

Pin Wheel
We use a paper plate and clothes pin with each girls name on it. We then rotate the girls name to whatever job she will be responsible for.

"Posting Daisies!"
Joanne, Troop 248, Morris Area

I found Post-it Notes in the shape of Daisies and printed one with each girl's name on it. I laminated these and put a velcro dot on the back. For the chart, I printed the jobs (enough for each girl in the troop) onto green construction paper strips to serve as the "stems" of the flowers and glued them to a large piece of foam board. I added "grass" made of construction paper to make a Daisy garden. I put the matching velcro dot at the top of each stem so the names could be changed each week. I ask one of the parent's helping out to pick one name out of a bag - this girl gets the "Set up Kaper Chart" job. Her job is to pick the rest of the names and put them on the chart. The last job is "Clean up Kaper Chart" and the girl with that job takes all the names off the chart and puts them back in the bag for the next meeting. Works great!!

"Mickey to the Rescue!"
Christa, Troop 63, Falls Village

I went to my local hardware store and picked up Disney paint chips (mickey ears) and cut them out, printed each girls name on a different color and glued them to clothes pins. Then I made a large circle (aprox.9 inches) out of a cereal box and put white paper on the "ugly" side. Write Troop # in middle of circle and in a smaller circle around troop # write kapers. Just leave enough room for a clothes pin to fit in the space!

"Safety in Numbers!"
Becky, Troop 67, Lone Star

We have a basic chart with dates down the side and jobs on top. We have cards taped to a whiteboard that we can move around and change each month. We use four jobs - attendance/dues, opening, supplies, and closing. We rotate duties each week, but instead of having just one girl listed - we have our girls divided into groups - and have 3 or 4 girls for each job. If there are several supplies that I need help with - several girls can help - or if someone is not there - I still have someone to help.

"Keeping it Simple!"
Linda, JGS 834, Heart of Missouri

We just use a basic chart: Jobs down one side, blank for name of girl on the other. Girls get to pick their jobs -they differ each week because we have different activities each week. We have friendship squeeze prepicked.

"It, Already It"
Sue, Troop 81, GS of Bergen County

I cut shapes out of decorated paper and glued magnets on the back. I start them all off in the "it" bag and at the beginning of each meeting, depending on what needs to be done that time, I pull names out of bag and write job with chalk on the blackboard and put up magnet shapes. At end of meeting all names go into the "already it" bag and start all over again once "it" bag depleted.

"Do It, Next, Done-It"
Julie D., Troop 231, GS-Columbia River Council

We have used two types of kaper charts; one that failed, and one that works for us.

Failed: Our troop started with a more formal kaper chart, with a job each meeting for each girl, that rotated on a pre-set schedule. Jobs included opening flag ceremony, closing flag, clean up after snack, pass out materials, clean up after the meeting, etc. This didn't work all that well because some meetings (as an example) there were LOTS of things to pass out, and the girl felt like it was her "right" to pass them ALL out, which took too long. Other meetings there was nothing to pass out, or no flag because of a field trip, so the girl felt she was "cheated". In addition, since clean-up was an item, the other girls felt like they didn't have to do ANY clean-up; the girl that dumped all of the beads over the table and the floor announced she would not help pick up because that was not her kaper.

Worked: We went to a very simple kaper chart.

We have 3 cups:

• Do-It,

• Next

• Done-It.

There are 4 jobs:

• Snack

• Song

• Picture

• Leader's Choice.

We have 4 sets of popsicle sticks (ours have a different shape glue-gunned on the end, but they could be different colors or whatever). Each set of popsicle sticks has one girl's name on each stick. All of the sticks started in the "Do-it" cup. The Snack is pre-determined by the date that the parent signed up for the week, but the girl gets to pass out her snack. So the snackers name is put in the "Next" cup. A Song, Picture, and Leader's Choice stick are randomly drawn and put in the "Next" cup. Every time we need or want a song, it is the Song girl's job to pick a song. After that, her stick is put in the "Done-It" cup, and a new girl's name is drawn. Having the "Next" cup helped the new girl have time to come up with a song. The Picture girl takes 2 pictures per meeting, anytime she chooses. The Leader's Choice is for anything else that needs to be done: pass out stuff, collect trash, be the helper, etc. It's potluck. Some meetings we use a lot of Leader's Choice girls, and sometimes we don't have any. But nobody feels picked on or favored. When all of one type of stick make it to the "Done-It" cup, they all get put back in the "Do-It" cup, and we start over. (And everyone cleans up their own mess!)

"Do It, Done-It"
Liz R., Troop 81, GS-Columbia River Council

I took Julie's idea and simplified it for my tired brain and for our Daisy Troop! We only had 2 cans, "Do It" and "Done It". Each girl had a clothespin that she decorated. All pins start out in the "Do It" can. I draw a pin out and that person will draw a pin for the first job that we leaders need. The person who is drawn, draws for the next job. Her pin goes into the "Done It" can, etc. When all pins have been selected, they get dumped back in the "Do It" can and we start over! The girls absolutely loved it!! Doing it this way minimized the disappointment when having set jobs that you didn't always need at each meeting - more flexibility!

Girl Scout Troop Government

• Every grade level of Girl Scouting uses some form of troop government. 
• Troop government is a way for girls to learn responsibility, independence and how to become leaders!
• Troop government is designed to be progressive, building on the skills learned in previous years.
• When the girls reach Girl Scout Juniors and on through Girl Scout Ambassadors, the girls take on more responsibility of running the troop and thus should decide which form of troop government they will use.
• You may want to try all three out before the girls make a final decision. And, if the system they chose is not working for the troop, the troop can then decide on another form of government for themselves.

What if girls have little or no experience in troop governance?

If older girls have not experienced making group decisions on their own, use a very focused, single-topic version of troop government formats. For example, use the Town Meeting format with only one topic, like what service project would like to do. Or run a discussion as if it were a Girl Scout Brownie Ring, using Girl Scout Brownie Ring rules for talking and brainstorming. Do this for several smaller topics. The leader might lead the first few discussions, but after that the girls should be leading the discussions. Rotate discussion leaders. A bit of practice and the girls would be ready to function more independently in patrols.

Girl Scout Daisy Circle

Girl Scout Daisies can help make some of the decisions about their troop through the Girl Scout Daisy Circle. It is the business part of a Girl Scout Daisy meeting and at this age lasts only 5 to 10 minutes. This part of the meeting is led by the Troop Leader. It is best for the Leader to give girls two or three choices to pick from at this age. Decisions could include things such as where to go on a field trip or what kind of service project the girls would like to participate in. Simplicity is the key here.

Girl Scout Brownie Ring

The Girl Scout Brownie Ring is very similar to the Girl Scout Daisy Circle but expands to the abilities of these now somewhat "older" girls. Girls can now begin to lead discussions and "brainstorm" ideas. A Ring "Leader" may be designated to lead discussions, but make sure that all girls are given this leadership opportunity.

When someone wishes to speak, a special "Talking Signal" is used in the Girl Scout Brownie Ring. This is indicated by the girl placing the two fingers of her right hand on the floor (or table, if you are seated at a table instead of the floor). The Girl Scout Brownie Ring is a good way to make all of the major decisions in your troop from how to spend cookie profits to which Try-It to work on next.

Town Meeting

In a Town Meeting, the entire troop makes its decisions together. A Moderator is generally needed to lead group discussions. Officers such as Secretary and Treasurer may be elected if the troop feels that there is a need. This generally only works well in small groups but can work in large groups if the girls can stay on task.

Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of the "officers" of the troop. They generally include a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Job descriptions should be agreed upon as well as the duration of office. It is important, especially at the beginning of self-government, that everyone has the opportunity to participate at some time throughout the year. These "board" members meet on a regular basis to decide matters for the troop. Some method needs to be devised for the troop members to give input to the Executive Board. This could be a simple suggestion box at a troop meeting. This system tends to work well with smaller troops.

Patrol System

The Patrol System is the most versatile of the systems of government. The troop is divided into smaller units called patrols. The ideal patrol size is about 5-8 girls. Each Patrol elects a Patrol Leader responsible for running their patrol meetings. An Assistant Patrol Leader is also a good idea in the event that the Patrol Leader cannot make a meeting. All troop business can be handled in these patrols. Attendance and dues can be recorded by the patrols. For any given outing, chores may be divided up with each patrol responsible for its own task.

In order for the troop to run smoothly and as a group, Patrol Leaders should come together periodically (at least once a month) to discuss troop issues and make group decisions. This is called the "Court of Honor". Each patrol gives their input to the Patrol Leader who presents their viewpoint at the Court of Honor. Also included in the Court of Honor are any other troop officers such as Secretary and Treasurer. The Patrol System can be very successful, but only if the girls are given skills with which to succeed.

Court of Honor

Generally consisting of the Troop Officers and the Patrol Leaders, the Court of Honor meets on a regular basis to plan troop activities. Monthly meetings can be used to plan events to occur the following month. A long meeting once or twice a year can be used for long-term planning of troop events and planning the troop yearly calendar. If you have a troop Moderator or President, this person generally presides over the Court ofHonor meetings.

The Girl Scout Troop Parent Handbook could contain the following information:

Welcome to Girl scouts….

 

About GSUSA….

 

Our Leaders, Parents, & Scouts….

 

Parent Participation in Troop….

 

Parents’ Responsibility….

 

Girls’ Responsibility…..

 

Membership….

 

Basic Policies and Info….

 

Chaperones and Drivers…

 

Troop Funding….

 

Uniforms, Handbooks, Patches & Badges….

See attached sample