Sounds more like a type specific issue rather than an airmanship item. Never heard or was taught this way of operating the flaps, but then all i've ever flown after my abinitio course was the 737 where it is not done that way. Would be extremely cumbersome with the FO as PF since he has his hands on the thrust lever and the CPT has to reach around his arms to operate the flaps on the other side of the flightdeck.