Teaching has an individualized element. I learned the pole first, when I was learning chum kiu and I began the bot jam do when I was learning bue gee . But again, I organized my teaching to adjust to students in a contemporary setting where it helps to have a linear and sequenced curriculum. I learned the pole applications from Ho Kam Ming first and absorbed them thoroughly. Then for teaching purposes I put important motions in a logical fashion into a form .for organized teaching.
Forms are textbooks and teachers organize texts for the same subject sometimes differently.
I do not think so. In the first place weapons were added to Wing Chun after the development of the hands. If you are not good with your stances, motions, steps and hands you will not fill in the gaps by learning weapons. The pole adds power when the stances and turns are properly learned. The knives add to the footwork after the fundamentals are fully absorbed.