Although I opt for the softly, softly approach to instruction, a bit of well-placed direction can facilitate rapid learning.
As an ATC flying scholarship student in the 60s, my course instructor was a recently retired TAA pilot returning to ab initio instruction. His technique was to explain once, sometimes twice, and then apply a judicious touch of rolled up SMH to the back of the student's head.
As I recall we all went solo quite rapidly .. 4 hours to around 8 with one slower student taking 10 hours.
Didn't appear to destroy our delicate little egos too much. My dim recollection is that at least three ended up in airlines, another couple in the RAAF and, just to make a good story, one as a Principal Chaplain in the RAAF ..