Having read the article, I am not sure everyone responds to a true "Mr. K." I had a really old-school teacher in one grade in elementary who was kind of like that. Some of my friends still remember him fondly but I hated him. The next year, I had a teacher who also had high expectations but didn't scream at us. She gave me a low grade that I've never forgotten that really hurt at the time, but which I deserved. Now that one--she was the one of the best I ever had.