These people seem honestly concerned with
making me a proficient IFR pilot rather than simply preparing me for the
checkride,...

In my opinion, that's a very important thing. I got my instrument rating
five years ago after a too-long training period, much of which was caused by
my first instructor's view that if I had "done" everything that would be
required on the checkride, then I was OK to go, and of course I simply
wasn't. My second instructor's first words after landing from my first
flight with him were, "You're not a confident instrument pilot". I replied,
"Bingo! We're going to get along fine." We worked until I was a confident,
competent, instrument pilot.