> In school did you learn writing with pressure-and-release strokes? I'm referring to how hard you press on the nib to control the ink flow, using a dip pen.

Yes. That was actually the part on which you got your grades for. Tough days.

> E.g. writing the Copperplate lowercase 'k' requires you to lift your pen three times.

Some letters have variants. There are variants of 'k' I know of with only two or one lifts and at least one that doesn't need a lift at all, albeit not looking as good but still considered Copperplate.