That's the thing about teaching, it depends on the student. For example, I wish someone told me to stay away from php when I began learning. My motivation was

That's the thing about teaching, it depends on the student. For example, I wish someone told me to stay away from php when I began learning. My motivation was to become as effective as quickly as possible not just a casual learner or hobbyist. I wanted to hear the harsh criticisms and realities as quickly as possible because that's where the growth is. Of course feedback should not "denigrate" the beginner as the title says but giving the complicated, multifaceted truth early on may be desired rather than compartmentalizing and simplifying the reality. See work on "expertise" by Ericsson and Hoffman (and others) for support of my argument.