Something that I see a LOT in my tutoring business is kids who have decided that they’re dumb. It’s really tragic and breaks my heart every time. Often, the kid is actually fine and has no real learning problem. They just learn some things at a different pace to their classmates. But, truth be told: almost no one learns anything according to the pace set by the curriculum.
As a homeschooler you probably know that the “cookie cutter” model of education is not right for your child. But are you unconsciously making the mistake of still comparing your child to its expectations? I see this every time a customer asks, “What grade level is this book for?”
Now, while Milestone Maths is based on the Australian Curriculum, I do not expect every child to pass through it at the same pace. Milestone Maths is, above all else, a mastery program. No child should advance to a new milestone until the current one is mastered.
This is one reason Milestone Maths levels are labelled with letters, not numbers. A child can be working at a level that is appropriate for their current ability without feeling “behind” or even “in front.” (Yes, even this can have its problems.)
To see why this matters, look at what happens when the system refuses to budge. I have a student I tutor who is currently caught in this ‘label trap.’
Last year, she was in a high school ‘year 8 access class’: a stream for students who need extra support. I tutor several students from this school and every single access student I’ve seen is assigned work from primary school textbooks / resources. She did so well that her teacher wanted to jump her straight into a regular Year 8 class. Her mum asked my opinion, and I had to be honest: jumping into Year 8 at the very end of the year was too big a leap. She would have been ‘behind’ the moment she sat down.
I suggested two alternatives: 1) she be placed in a mainstream Year 7 class immediately, or 2) she start the new school year in a year 8 mainstream class. This was the perfect level for her current mastery. But the system couldn’t do it. Because of her age, she had to be in a Year 8 class last year and a year 9 class this year.
The result? This year she is back in a Year 9 access class. She is being held back, not by her ability, but by a label. She’s sitting in a room being under-challenged simply because the system doesn’t know how to let a Year 9 student do Year 8 work with dignity.
By stark contrast, I have another tutoring client. An 8 year old boy who simply did not fit in mainstream school. His mother made the decision to homeschool him mid last year. He has been using Milestone Maths from day one at home and absolutely thriving. He is doing level B (two years “below” where he “should” be).
As he was nearing the end of book B2 his mother sent me a text, “Can we get another copy of B2, please?” I called her to ask if the dog had eaten their copy and to assure her that her son could skip the last few pages without too much drama. Her reply pleasantly surprised me, “No, I feel that he just hasn’t quite clicked with the material yet and that he’ll do better to repeat it.”
He’s just nearing the end of his second time through Milestone Maths B2 and the difference in his confidence and performance is like night and day. It really is “clicking” for him now and he is well on his way to becoming an able mathematician.
Break Free from the Label Trap
As a homeschooler, you have a superpower that schools don’t: The power to prioritize your child over the calendar. If your child is “stuck” in a cycle of frustration, it’s rarely because they can’t do the maths: it’s probably because they are being forced to build on shaky foundations. Milestone Maths is designed to give you the permission to slow down, to repeat, and to master each step with dignity.
Whether they are 8 years old in Level B or 14 years old catching up on Level D, they aren’t “behind.” They are exactly where they need to be to succeed.
Ready to find the perfect starting point for your child?
- Take the Placement Test – Discover which Milestone Letter matches your child’s current mastery.
- Browse the Curriculum – See how our short, multi-sensory lessons turn “maths wars” into “maths wins.”
- Join the Community – Sign-up to our newsletter (below) or follow us on Facebook for more insights on teaching for mastery in the Aussie homeschool world.
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