Newb,

I think that bad teaching is indefensible no matter what the context.

And I don't want to be a quibbler.

But...

I am tempted to call the phenomenon to which you refer "introducing young people to musical instruments" rather than "teaching young people to play musical instruments."

I am only familiar with the phenomenon as it is practiced in the unrepresentative selection of festivals I attend in the states. It seems to me that all that the "facilitators" (to avoid using the "t" word) are trying to do is to show the kids that music is something they can produce. The one thing that is pretty consistently "taught" is that musical instruments must be treated with respect.