I have found that I usually need to use a SCANT ¼" when I'm sewing my seams, not sure why, but otherwise my blocks end up too small. I've used my walking foot for piecing once in awhile but mine doesn't have the same pressure on it as a regular foot. Your machine probably has a regular foot that it came with, maybe compromise & use it for just the class and then go back to the one you like for at home sewing? We all have our own ways of doing things, usually we take a class to learn something & then adjust it to our "own" way later....