when I was 16 of age, learning to fly a Piper J-3C-65 Cub, my instructors forced me to say "gear down - landing checks" at the end of downwind, turning to base...? No matter how ridiculous it seems to you, (what gear...?), THAT was the proper training techniques then, which I continue to foster
I hate to say this but what unadulterated rubbish your instructor taught you and incredibly why you unhesitingly swallowed this nonsense. To call a check which pretends you have a retractable landing gear when the aircraft does not have one, defies logic. in order to be logical and consistent with that specious policy I presume you also call "gear up" after take off in your Cub and of course not forgetting to pull back the ghostly pitch levers after take off and place the pitch levers in fine for landing.