I am just glad that I learned how to sew before I learned how to quilt. Knowing the quirks of working with fabric which is not a finite medium goes a long way toward making any finished cloth product. I learned to sew on my Mother's Featherweight. Making a straight consistent seam is a skill necessary for any kind of sewing. By the time I got to High School I was making a lot of my own clothes. I went to school before pants were allowed for female students. Working with clothing construction quickly shows how important things like grain, texture and proper "pressing" can be. While I have almost entirely pieced by machine I am a mostly handquilter. While I have done some hand embroidery I much prefer to have some handquilting handy when I sit down to watch TV or gather with friends to chat. I worked in a shop for about 18 months that did custom dressmaking and alterations. I often ended up doing the handsewn hems etc. because of my skills learned as a handquilter. I think having a desire to handle "pleasing" fabric makes it easier to do the sometimes tedious steps necessary in the creation of anything.
It is important for the student to have a machine that they are comfortable with and that they know the basics of stitch length etc. Knowing which feet are most helpful with different aspects of construction of anything is also a good way to instill confidence in students. If the students are able to complete a project within a reasonable amount of time from start to finish, a pillowcover or small wallhanging, they will be more eager to proceed past that point to a complete quilt.