Blowing air out the spark plug hole is not finding TDC. You can feel the air coming out that's the compression stroke, I use a small long screw driver, feel for the top of the piston (gently), it will stop, then move down, go back till it stops, fine line between up and down, balancer should be at 0* , rotor at the #1 spark plug tower, if all that does not line up within a smidge then further investigation is needed, balancer replacement or distributor may be one tooth off, loose timing chain.
Computer controlled engines have a need for accurate events, even as archaic as the obd1 computer is.
Your shop teacher may be unfamiliar with our cars and generalizing with the new cars need to be 'tuned' (computer flash) to accommodate a wiper blade change. Forgive him.