I learned cursive writing in Montessori and it was completely different from what my friends experienced

I went to a Montessori school for elementary, and we learned cursive writing first—before printing. I didn't realize until I was older how unusual that was. My friends in public schools learned print in early grades and then cursive later, usually around third grade.

For us, cursive was just how you wrote. The continuous motion felt natural, and I never struggled with letter reversals like b and d because in cursive they're formed completely differently . When I eventually learned to print, it felt like a separate skill, not a replacement. Montessori chose this approach because the curves and continuous motion follow the natural movements of a young child's developing hand better than the stops and starts of print .

I'm now a much faster note-taker than my peers, and my signature actually looks like an adult's. Anyone else have the Montessori cursive-first experience? How did it shape your writing? I'm curious if this approach has benefits beyond what traditional cursive instruction offers.