Socialization is a process by which a person learns to be a member of a group or community. Families and educators have the task of socializing children into the collective in a healthy way in order to sustain ourselves as a society.

“Us” and “them” socialization (racism, sexism, have vs have not, good kid vs bad kid classroom culture, etc.) impedes healthy socialization. It can prime the excluded, “lesser” children to seek inclusion in groups and relationships that are damaging or abusive, including street gangs.

In this episode, DJ Baptiste shares his experiences from being a teenage gang leader through his current role as a motivational speaker and advocate for creating a healthy School Family “gang” for all children.

Essential Takeaways

• Any form of “us” and “them” socialization impedes the development of a healthy culture

• Disconnected/marginalized children will find an alternative way to meet the need to belong

• All children need predictability, consistency and a sense of belonging

• Creating a sense of community in the classroom (a School Family) provides students with connection, predictability and a sense of belonging

Important Links

Gang Leader to Graduate Success Story (insert/connect link)

How to Make a (Bully from Scratch) (insert/connect link)

Bully Road Signs series of videos (insert/connect link)

Products

Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Classrooms

Creating the School Family

Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Schools and Homes e-Course

Show Outline (time stamps)

:24 What is Conscious Discipline

1:42 Prevalence of gangs in our society

2:50 What is socialization

5:01 Introduction of guest speaker DJ Baptiste, former gang leader

6:23 DJ’s story of his path towards being in a gang

9:55 DJ expelled from preschool

12:56 DJ created his own gang

15:15 A sense of belonging draws children toward gangs

17:40 How gangs provide consistency and predictability

19:18 Codes of conduct in DJ’s gang

20:42 Was there ever a sense of fear being in the gang

23:00 DJ’s life-changing moment

26:10 Mrs. Porter connects, gives DJ a class job and creates a School Family

29:46 DJ’s current employment

31:35 Summary of what the gang provided

Transcript can be found here:

https://consciousdiscipline.com/podcast-episode014/