Checklist at flight schools are unfortunately a problem. I think almost all schools make two fundamental errors with checklists
1) Checklist should exist inside and compliment an SOP document. That is there should be a written SOP that tells new pilots all the "how" items, like what to look for on the walkaround, speeds and power settings for normal operations, correct use of the lights, examples of standard radio calls, etc etc. The actual checklist should never be used as a "how to fly" tool it should only function to aid the pilot in ensuring flight safety critical tasks/actions are performed. Since training aircraft are not complicated there are not that many flight safety critical tasks/actions so the checklist will be short.
2) The difference between an "do list" (ie you read an item on the checklist and then do it) vs a "checklist" (ie you do the all the actions as part of a flow and then when able check the list to ensure you haven't missed anything vs a memory recall check ( Ie check is done all from memory without going to the checklist) ; Is not well understood and incorporated in the checklist.
I fixed the checklists at both of the schools I do a bit of part time C 172 instructing at. We first wrote a comprehensive SOP document we could give to students and then redid the checklist.
The checklist are about half as long as they were before and follow a consistent pattern of a counterclockwise circle around the instrument panel always starting at the fuel selector
They are broken down as follows
Prestart: do list
After start: flow
Taxi: do list
Runup: flow
Before takeoff: do list
Cruise: do list
Descent: flow
Prelanding: Memory recall
Afterlanding: flow
shutdown: do list.