Teaching the ch st and having her just do that for a while will help her learn how to control her tension. You don’t even need her to crochet into the ch just have her practice that (and slip knot)
Ch was the first thing I learned and now I make all kind of stuff! Also though to give her a small continuous project, you could teach her MR and she could make a hat!
You have to learn to chain first. As the other poster said, you learn how to tension the yarn that way. You also get used to the feel of the hook and how to hold it properly
Magic ring can be lesson 2 once she masters the chain stitch
I used to teach people a chain stitch to start but I taught another person by making a magic ring and doing like, one round into it and then showing them single crochet and increase and that worked the best
I think that the pattern used to teach will dictate what to show the student first
I believe it is best to show straight back and forth projects first, like scarves, potholders and washcloths. To get used to how to hold and maneuver the hook. To help them gain confidence in the process
Shaped objects can be tackled after that, learn the basics first to avoid frustrating or overwhelming the student.