EGBK, seriously old chap, you are going to take a very very long time to learn to fly if you don't accept that your instructor knows the best ways for YOU to do things. The fact that most people here seem to agree with your instructor only surely re-inforces that.
This is nothing to do with age, but does have a lot to do with experience. Your instructor has it and, as yet, you don't. In all likelihood you will initially do things less well his way, but with practice you'll do it better than you ever could your way. The same with running - your self-made technique may initially be faster, but a good coach will in time make you faster still, even if they have to change your technique to do it.
Eventually, if you get that far, you'll be introduced to "point and power" for instrument approaches. But for now, yes, your instructor is in charge, and listen to them. If most of the rest of us happen to agree with him, that's just a bonus.
G