Why would syntax highlighting, etc. be "training wheels"? I understand that training wheels restrain what you can do with your bike, but what's the downside to coding in an IDE?
My experience is that when I code in a simple monochrome text editor, I have instinctually learned and internalized syntax, reserved words, etc. much more quickly. Kinda like shooting a basketball into a smaller hoop or driving a stick shift. Everything just flows better and I rarely have OP's problems.