Irksome situation:

Transfer student plays through piece such as Fur Elise or a Bach minuet or whatever. I point to the first note in the piece and they can't for the life of them tell me what note it is. Infuriating.

In other words, students learning pieces entirely by picking out the notes and not using the music, and barely being able to read music. I have to basically train them to see a note on the staff and identify it. Argh.

It irritates me that primers still insist on both thumbs sharing middle C, at least for a time. Students find it hard! And it is of absolutely no benefit. For all real beginner and intermediate music, there is no need to two fingers to hover over the same note.