1. Your instructor is a moron, you're missing foundational stuff.
2. You need more time on the basics in the FTD before doing approaches (or anything) in an airplane. At this point you should be mastering BAI, simple ATC tasks, turning, climb, descent, level off. Only when you have that cold move on to nav tasks in approximately this order: Radial intercept/tracking, straight-in ILS, holds, straight-in non-prec approaches, PTs, full approaches, RNAV approaches.
3. Do a LOT of chair-flying holds and PT's. You can do that with pencil and paper.
4. Memorize the compass rose in increments of ten, including reciprocals.
Trying to do advanced tasks (especially in the airplane) before you have the basics mastered will be frustrating and probably lead to bad habits. For holds and PT's you have to think in terms of radials... you can do it, just need to get really immersed in radials, recips, and 30/45 degree intercepts (I like 30 cuz the math is easier).
If you're not rock solid on something in the FTD, no point in trying it in the plane.