When you first learn to fly there are Rules (the capital R is intentional). You turn base here, take flaps here, this is the approach speed etc. Later you learn that these things can, and should, be varied to suit the conditions and the airfield and the runway and so on. It would be great if you learned that in the beginning, but flying's confusing enough at the start, without having to make choices too, which would represent severe overload for most students. As for downwind into the sun? Not much you can do, except get a good pair of sunglasses, and perhaps make extra radio calls to let other traffic know where you are. It's worse with a low winter sun when you're on final; the other week I turned final unable to see the runway, nearly decided to stay airborne till the sun dropped below the horizon, but more by luck than judgement I found myself on a reasonable approach and managed to land.
But you should be able to ask your instructor about all this stuff. If you can't, then IMHO you have a problem; solve it by changing instructors.