In a perfect world here's how I see the learning curve:

Trainer: A high, flat-bottom wing plane. This is generally the most stable platform. The wing provides a lot of lift so that the plane can fly slowly to give the novice more reaction time, and the high wing means that the plane is "bottom heavy" so it tends to want to fly straight and level. The wing should be attached to the Fuselage with Rubber Bands

With this plane the student learns straight and level flight, basic turns, flying toward yourself (when some controls are reversed), Flying a rectangle around the field, and eventually, take-offs and landings. They can even start to try some loops and rolls.

Advanced Trainer (or Intermediate): Now we have (typically) a high, or shoulder wing with a semi-symmetrical airfoil (there are a few low wing intermediate trainers also, but they are still INTERMEDIATE TRAINERS). This plane is faster than a trainer, and more capable of basic aerobatics. They SHOULD still use rubber bands to mount the wing.

With this plane, the student learns basic aerobatics, i.e., loops, rolls, stall turns, inverted flight, split-S, etc.. plus, he (or she) learns to take-off and land with a hotter plane.

Advanced: Once you have MASTERED the two previous planes, the choice is yours. Do you want to fly Pattern? If so, go out and get a BEGINNING Pattern plane, or a BEGINNING War Bird, or whatever.

If you wanted to fly TOC planes, would you (after mastering your intermediate trainer) go out and spend $5000 on the Type of thing that Chip Hyde flies? I don't think so.

There are steps ALL along the way. Some can be skipped, and some can not. What can be skipped is as individual as the person learning.