Walk into any Australian classroom and you’ll likely hear a familiar frustration: “We just don’t have enough time to cover everything.”

Teachers are working harder than ever to keep up with curriculum demands, meet the diverse needs of their students, and maintain engagement, all while managing growing administrative loads and mounting expectations. But despite these huge efforts, too many students are still falling behind in maths.

The issue isn’t a lack of effort, passion or skill. It’s that the system itself was built on a flawed assumption: that all students, regardless of where they’re at in their learning, should be taught the same content at the same pace, based purely on their year level.

This is the iceberg problem and it’s one of the biggest challenges facing maths education today.

What is the Iceberg Problem?

Coined by the education innovation organisation New Classrooms, the “iceberg problem” describes a disconnect between what teachers see in class and what lies beneath the surface. Above the waterline, a student might be physically present in Year 7 maths class, completing the assigned textbook exercises. But below the surface, they may have large foundational gaps, key concepts from previous years they never quite grasped.

Without addressing these gaps, students find themselves unable to fully engage with new content. Lessons feel confusing, progress feels impossible, and confidence starts to erode. This often leads to disengagement, behaviour issues, and in too many cases, a belief that they’re “just not a maths person.”

ACER reports that approximately half of students aren’t reaching national proficiency standards in maths and the longer those learning gaps are left unaddressed, the more difficult they are to close. Most students who achieve low numeracy scores in Year 3 never catch up to their classmates, falling even further behind by Year 9.

Pace vs Progress

For teachers, the iceberg problem puts them in an impossible position.

On one hand, they’re required to deliver curriculum content according to a set timeline. Keep the class moving. Stick to the scope and sequence. Ensure everyone is “on track” for year-level assessments and NAPLAN.

On the other hand, they know that many students aren’t ready for that content. They see the confusion, the reluctance to participate, the rising anxiety and they know it stems from earlier concepts that haven’t been mastered.

So what do you do?

Slow down to fill the gaps, and risk falling behind the curriculum? Push ahead, and risk losing students altogether?

It’s a no-win situation, but one most teachers are forced to make every day.

Solving iceberg problem

The only real way to tackle the iceberg problem is to change the way we think about learning progress.

Rather than assuming all students in a year level are ready for the same content, we need to start with what students actually know. Not just what’s above the surface, but what’s underneath, what they’ve mastered, what they’ve missed, and what they’re ready to learn next.

This means:

• Using diagnostic assessments to build a full picture of each student’s knowledge
  
• Providing targeted support that meets students in their Zone of Proximal Development
  
• Blending whole-class teaching with differentiated, personalised practice
  
• Giving students opportunities to build confidence through success at their level
  
• Empowering teachers with the tools, data and resources to do this at scale
  

That’s a big ask. And traditionally, it’s been nearly impossible to do without endless prep time, spreadsheet juggling, or sacrificing curriculum coverage.

But that’s exactly why Instructive was created.

A better approach to teaching maths

Instructive is a research-backed maths program designed to solve the iceberg problem at its core. It gives teachers the power to deliver curriculum-aligned content and address learning gaps—without having to choose between the two.

Here’s how it works:

• Start with the data:
  Students complete a diagnostic assessment that maps their understanding across the entire curriculum. Teachers gain a clear view of what each student has mastered—and where they need support.
  
• Teach explicitly, then differentiate:
  Each lesson begins with 15 minutes of explicit teaching based on year-level content, followed by short practice questions and then personalised learning. Instructive automatically assigns work to each student based on their diagnostic and formative data, keeping them in their zone of readiness.
  
• Immediate feedback and progress tracking:
  Students get real-time feedback on every task. Teachers get data dashboards that highlight progress, misconceptions, and areas for targeted intervention.
  
• Curriculum coverage, without compromise:
  Instructive provides ready-to-use lesson plans, assessments, and projects—meaning teachers can stay aligned with the curriculum while addressing the individual needs of every student in the room.
  
• Better outcomes, backed by data:
  Students using Instructive grow, on average, 50% more in maths per year than expected. 84% are on track to study senior maths (national average: 46%) and 41% are on track for advanced maths (national average: 18%).
  

Solving the iceberg problem in maths

The iceberg problem won’t be solved by doubling down on what’s always been done. It requires a new way of thinking about progress, ability, and how we support students to succeed.

Instructive offers schools a powerful, practical way to do this—without overburdening teachers or abandoning the curriculum.

If you’re ready to stop teaching to the tip of the iceberg, and start reaching every learner where they’re at, it’s time to explore Instructive.