In this opinion article, originally published in Education Review, Professor Stephen Dinham, looks at the lessons that can be learned from the character of Johah in the recent hit television series Summer Heights High.

In the final episode of Chris Lilley’s Summer Heights High we saw Jonah, the smart-arse Tongan break-dancer, dragged from the school.  School was the source of much of Jonah’s identity and his problems.

Like many, Jonah was always up against it.  His family background was literacy poor.  Reading material was lacking in the home and Jonah wasn’t read to as a young child. Jonah didn’t attend pre-school and by the time he entered primary he was already two to three years behind some of his peers in literacy development.  This gap widened.  Jonah moved from school to school and each transition had a negative effect on his learning.   Jonah was one of many and his teachers, well meaning and under pressure, didn’t diagnose or deal with his literacy problems. Jonah didn’t receive the individual attention, explicit teaching and feedback he needed. Jonah’s lack of progress was attributed to his poor behaviour and attitude but his behaviour and attitude were largely a product of his lack of academic achievement.

Jonah couldn’t master literacy and because so much of schooling is literacy based, he struggled in all curriculum areas.  He knew he was falling behind and covered his inadequacy with bravado and over-confidence.  Jonah avoided engaging with schoolwork as much as possible.  He discovered he could make people laugh.

By the time he entered high school, Jonah was five years behind some of his peers. By year 8, he was seven years behind many in his year and found basic school work beyond him.  His reading and writing skills were at year 3 level, lower than they had been in year 6.  Jonah was going backwards.

Fortunately, Jonah was good at break-dancing, something which became central in his life.  Unfortunately, break-dancing also got him into trouble at school and was used as a means to punish Jonah when his behaviour got out of hand.

Jonah was placed in a special reading program where he received attention and encouragement but not the tools to master literacy.  It was thought that recognising and valuing his cultural background through programs such as ‘Polynesian Pathways’ would motivate Jonah and his friends and develop feelings of self-worth, but the program itself had no depth, consisting of grass skirts and dancing, rather than knowledge and appreciation of Polynesia’s rich cultures.  Jonah’s real issue wasn’t with his cultural background – he was distinctive for other reasons. Jonah lacked the basics, but he wasn’t challenged either. 

When Jonah was cooperative and well-behaved, his teachers told themselves their strategies were working but a lack of academic progress made conflict inevitable. The brighter year 7 boys discovered they could wind up Jonah and get him into trouble.  In all of this, Jonah’s home background was a hindrance.  An absent mother and an authoritarian, unresponsive father who couldn’t help him with his work didn’t support Jonah’s development and learning. Threats to send Jonah back to Tonga failed to improve his literacy and schoolwork.

Jonah had a growing, ‘bad’ reputation and was backed deeper into a corner.  The frustrations and incidents became more frequent.  He was suspended, which was meant to teach him a lesson.  Jonah came back to school even further behind. The cut and paste work he had done while on suspension was ridiculed.   After more incidents, he was expelled, physically.  Jonah had failed school, and school had failed Jonah, but he didn’t want to leave. It was all he had.  His final act was to deface the school and the teachers’ cars.

Jonah would soon come to the attention of another set of authority figures and his education would continue on the streets and in other institutions. He would be backed into other corners.

If he was lucky, however, his father or others might take an interest in him and give Jonah the guidance and warmth he needed.  He might obtain an unskilled job and experience a sense of achievement and independence. Self-realisation might dawn.  One day, he might even learn to read and write.  At last resort, there are some good literacy programs in prison. 

One day, Jonah might even be able to break the illiteracy cycle with his own children, although going ‘up’ to the school on their behalf would be always be difficult.

Professor Stephen Dinham is ACER's Research Director (Teaching and Leadership).

This article was first published in the November issue of Education Review, which is online at http://www.educationreview.com.au

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