I've always thought programming classes should start with reading and understanding a program that has some loops, assignments, etc. Maybe a program that draws some shapes or parses/prints some strings. Then have students modify it some. Then afterward, start writing your own stuff from scratch.
I think you remember things much easier if you write them out (and have to make them compile/execute) yourself. If I read some code in a language I haven't encountered before, I find I don't absorb any of the little details of syntax.
Moreover, I think it makes sense to expose learners to the fun of programming early. And to me that means seeing something that you wrote running.
Perhaps you don't write well until you've read a lot - but nobody expects you to write well as a novice.