I learned many years ago that the time you knock off your landing/taxy lights is when you are on a well lit apron and may run the risk of dazzling a marshaller if you don't. When training, it is just as important for students to learn what it is like to taxy without the aid of land/taxy lights as it is to land the a/c without them for the same reasons.
With regard to checklists the attitude these days seems to be that you use these highly detailed lists as "do lists". I believe this stems from the requirements to use such lists in commercial licence flying tests - to get students used to the use of big check lists like some big aircraft have. I have always advocated learning a checklist off by heart in a little A/C - for reasons stated above. Then if you really want to do the job correctly, you get the check list out and thumb through it quickly to ensure that you didn't forget anything. The list is then being used as a 'check' list, not a 'do' list. Forgetting an item is then much less likely.
Only one man's opinion of course. May the debate continue!
P.P.