How to teach programming to adult (18+) students?

How to teach programming to adult(18+) students?

I know how I learnt programming, how it just "clicked" one day while reading microprocessor programming textbook. Strangely enough, that was my first introduction to programming - unlike others who start learning with Python/C/Java/etc. I still remember how my brain just raced so fast with so many thoughts and it happened for almost a month before I had successfully coded few hundreds of lines of instructions on a 8085 micro-processor. And I still did not know about C, Python or any other language (except that part that PCs use 8086 instruction set)

My first C project-assignment was a disaster. I had not spent time to learn C constructs but used my 8085 knowledge to program. And it had lots of GOTOs and zero loops - because I did not know those then. It am still amazed and embarrassed that I made a fully functional unix based video-library management system with just GOTO statements - and it crashed just once - on the demo day. That day onwards I promised myself that I would not jump into programming into any language before reading a bit on what/when/how/why/strengths/weaknesses of a language

Thats my story - I had a formal CS education later on - but at the point I pretty much knew a lot of those basics and most of that formal education (the programming part) was just the part of the process to get a formal degree.

Today, I have few students who want to learn programming from me. I have assisted both students and professionals. But, I have never taught anything before - and it has been a challenge to get these students up to a certain level. Some pick up faster than others. I've to admit - I have a busy schedule, and have little time for them. Sometimes I feel guilty about that. There is no money being made - but I do not like to turn down somebody who wants to learn. There are under performers, slow learners and sometimes I delve over the question - "why does he/she want to become a programmer". The last thing I want to tell them is "you cannot be a programmer". Few of the problems that I face with these students:

1. Compiler shows an error and they just don't spend time to read it. No matter how many times I pointed it out that the info they need is right there.

2. They do not read documentation for the functions/methods they invoke and when it throws an error.

3. They stackoverflow anything and everything. When I assist professionals, I make a point that "capacity to Google correctly is so important". But in case of students - it usually fires back. They just copy the whole program - some attempt to understand it - most don't. And these are simple programs like "print first 100 fibonacci numbers."

4. At times students just don't know how to clearly articulate to a programming language.  Conversation goes like this:

Student: "The computer is wrong here. See - I have this correctly written line xyz in the program".
Me: "Compiler cannot be wrong (mostly it isn't). May be there is a problem in the code"
Me: (after looking at the code): "There is a problem in your code. Hint A, Hint B"
Student: "Okay I will try"
Student (after some time): "No, the program is correct, the compiler is not understanding it"
Me (sulking): "Lets go over it line by line".
-- here I end up solving the problem myself and explaining it to the student. And I also lose a bit of patience here.


What am I doing wrong?


Some of these students don't have a good math background. But I am not sure if mathematical skills have any impact on programming skills. In fact I acquired most of my math skills later to improve my programs.

P.S: I do not have a classroom environment. I've always believed that if a mentally-normal student cannot learn from the teacher - its the problem with the teacher or his/her teaching method.