Does Writing in the Fingering on Piano Music Make Lazy Students?

There are at least two schools of thought on this issue.  On the one hand, there is the notion that students need to learn their note names and that by writing in the fingering, you are delaying them learning the note names by supplying them with an easier way to learn to play.  Those who support this way of thinking liken writing in the numbers to painting by number; anyone who can follow the numbers can paint a picture, and anyone who follows the fingering can play a piece of music.

I find this argument a little too simplistic.  I am in the school of thought that it is better to decide what you are going to do before you strike a note than to strike it and decide afterward that it was not what you wanted to do.  To this end, I find using fingering as a way of avoiding the constant “wrong note/fix it” method is a positive, not a negative, as the correct brain patterns are established right at the beginning.  I prefer that a student look at the music before attempting to play it, and sort out the fingering patterns, identifying the tricky bits and, using the “magic” pencil, write in fingering which fits the hand and allows smooth and nimble movements through the difficult choke points.

Alas, too many students use the “snow plow” approach to playing.  Start at the beginning and go until you get snagged.  Back up and have another go; hoping you’ll get further this time.  Keep doing this, over and over, until the beginning is somewhat secure, but the tricky bits are still wobbly.  Big head small tail, just like a tadpole. Which method, do you think, makes the lazy student?