My expereince is that all instructors do things slightly differently. I'm a low time pilot myself, but for what its worth, here is my experience.
Rule Number One:
READ THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK
Instructors and flying schools al have variations on approach speeds and suchlike, but the best advice in my opinion is to follow the POH.
Usual approach speed is 1.2, 1.3 Vs. Why? Because not only does it give some gust protection, if you have an engine failure on base or final you can retract a stage of flaps to stretch your glide without stalling.
Tricycle aircraft all have one common issue - protecting the nosewheel. The C150/152 has a pretty strong undercarriage (Thank God). The C172 and 182 nosegear is not as robust. Its attached directly to the firewall.
So anyway my point is whatever you do, don't arrive too fast over the threshold. For a C172 I try and arrive at 60 knots, for a C150, dunno I've forgotten, but maybe 55knots. Arrow, probably 65 knots. Once over the threshold, stop looking inside at ASI or dials, you are at 50 feet or less and should be looking up the runway, keeping centred and working out when to start your flair. Power setting depends on aircraft type. C172/150 etc. you normally land power off - chop throttle at threshold. Heavier aircrraft like an Arrow/ Tobago/182, you gently reduce power and land with a little power on.
What happens if you land too fast - you will either float, or (worse) bounce and float. What normally happens with a C172 is that you then get a pilot induced oscillation in which you are trying to keep up with the aircraft and never quite make it. On the third bounce you bend the firewall and are $1500 poorer. Never ever push forward in close proxiity to the ground. The accepted technique for a C150/172/182 is to keep pulling back as far as you can go to keep the aircraft flying and it will then land when its good and ready.
OK, everyone can now tear me to bits as usual.
Also read the (rambling) thoughts on the link which I very strongly recommend - it helped me a lot with landings and taught me some stuff that young grade one instructors don't seem to know.
http://www.whittsflying.com/