Behavior & Emotional Safety
How the Rainbow DJ Lab builds a calm, predictable, kind classroom where every child can make mistakes, say no, and ask for help.
Status
These policies were adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026. The Lab is proposed. No staff are hired yet. Every coach will be trained on this page before their first class.
Our approach
We use two well-known ideas:
- Trauma-informed care. We assume any child might be carrying something hard we don't know about. So we focus on safety, trust, choice and respect, not on control. (The federal agency SAMHSA describes six principles: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice and choice; and attention to cultural, historical and gender issues.)
- Positive behavior support. We teach and praise the behavior we want, clearly and often, so that correcting a child is rare.
What it looks like in class
| Practice | What it means for your child |
|---|---|
| Same shape every session | Every class runs the same 9 blocks (Drop In, Mission Card, Watch Me Think, Deck Time 1, Move Break, Deck Time 2, Wordplay Lab, Spotlight, Check Out). Kids know what's next |
| A few simple class agreements | Taught at orientation and posted, for example: respect the gear, respect each other, respect the music |
| "Data!" not failure | When a mix crashes, the DJ names one reason and tries again. Mistakes are learning, out loud, with no teasing |
| Choice | Kids pick their challenge level (Mild, Medium or Spicy) in Deck Time 2 |
| No forced spotlight | Spotlight is volunteers only. Coaches never call on a child who didn't sign up |
| No grades, no rankings | Kids rate themselves (I got it / Getting there / Not yet). Passport stamps celebrate skills, not compare kids |
| Rotating jobs | DJ, Co-pilot, Hype and Logger rotate every 3 minutes 45 seconds, so everyone gets a turn and a role |
| Clean music | Clean lyrics only (radio edits), checked when crates are built |
| Specific praise | "You found the downbeat," not just "good job." Coaches aim for many more positive comments than corrections |
| Check Out | Each session ends with a "Next time I'll..." line, so kids leave on a forward step |
| Ears and bodies | Any child can ask for quieter, take a water or restroom break, or step to the Cool-Down Space |
| Empress Decks | A girls-only track for about ages 9–17, taught by women DJs |
How coaches respond to big feelings
- Notice early. A child who's quiet, frustrated or withdrawn gets a calm check-in: "Want to keep going, take a break, or switch jobs?"
- Stay calm and close (not crowding). A low voice, at the child's level, in view of the other adult.
- Name it, don't shame it. "That mix was frustrating. That's Data!"
- Offer a choice, including the cool-down space.
- Reconnect. When the child is ready, they rejoin without a lecture.
If behavior needs correcting, coaches follow the Discipline Ladder. If one child harms another, they follow the Peer-Harm Protocol.
Things we never do
- Physical punishment of any kind, or rough handling.
- Shaming, name-calling, sarcasm about a child, or public "call-outs."
- Withholding food, water or the restroom.
- Isolating a child or leaving them alone, or locking them anywhere.
- Making a child perform or speak in front of the group.
- Commenting on a child's body, family, money, religion, race, gender or how they talk.
- Keeping secrets with a child. (Adults may say "I can't keep that secret, but I'll help you.")
When a child tells us something worrying
If a child shares something that suggests abuse, neglect or danger, staff listen calmly, don't press for details, don't promise secrecy, and report directly to the DCFS Hotline, 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), or 911 for immediate danger. Every staff member is a mandated reporter (Mandated Reporter Training).
Working with families
- At registration, you can tell us what helps your child (triggers, calming strategies, sensory needs, an IEP or 504 plan strategy you'd like us to use). We use it and keep it private.
- If something is going on at home or school that might affect class, you can tell Stephen Henry privately.
What you'll be told
- At pickup: a quick, honest word about the session, including a rough moment if there was one.
- A phone call: if your child was upset enough to need extra help, or any time the Discipline Ladder reaches the parent-call step.
Sources
- SAMHSA, Practical Guide for Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach (six key principles): https://www.samhsa.gov
- Center on PBIS (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: https://www.pbis.org
- U.S. Center for SafeSport, Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies: https://uscenterforsafesport.org
- Illinois DCFS, Child Abuse Hotline: https://dcfs.illinois.gov