An education should gradually give a learner more ability to act without being directed at every step. That includes understanding a task, recognising the limits of their knowledge and knowing when to seek help.
Following an instruction can be a sensible beginning. A novice may need a safe procedure and a worked example. The next question is whether they come to understand the reasons behind the procedure and can use that understanding in a different situation.
Give responsibility a place to grow
Choose a task the learner already knows reasonably well. Let them plan the sequence, decide what materials they need and identify how they will check the result. Agree on boundaries beforehand, particularly where safety or other people's time is involved.
Afterwards, discuss the decisions. Which worked? Which depended on an assumption that proved wrong? What support would make the next attempt better? Treat the discussion as an examination of choices, rather than a judgment of character.
Reasoned disagreement belongs here too. Take a familiar rule and ask what purpose it serves. Consider what would happen without it and whether another arrangement could achieve the same purpose. Some rules will survive scrutiny; others may improve.
Challenging an explanation creates responsibilities of its own. The learner should present reasons, examine evidence and correct mistakes. Adults should be willing to meet the same standard.
Independence does not require refusing expertise. It requires learning how to use expertise thoughtfully. Progress becomes visible when someone can explain a decision, recognise an exception and manage a larger part of worthwhile work with appropriate support.