There is no right way.. just personal preferences. It also depends on wheter or not someone has a pult or neckstrap. Good results can be achieved using both methods.

I do both, but fly with my thumbs mostly. I don't push new pilots into a certain steering method, most of them have already handled the transmitter (as in; holding it and imagining they're flying, some even make brooom brook vroaaar noises doing this ) and for starters the way they handle it by nature is best. They've got enough to learn not to be concerned with the way they handle sticks.

Once you can fly, it's not like having to learn to fly again if you want to switch, so I wouldn't bother troubling studens with it.

As far as the springs go, thats again a personal preference, though I do hear more pattern flyers say they like stiff springs. Right now I'm flying with as little tension as I can get and I like that. I have even been thinking about removing the springs all together..