| Leaders know high expectations lead to high | | | | expectations for that student, they got to do it |
| performance. Leaders know that the more people | | | | over, and over, and over - until she was satisfied |
| believe in themselves, and their leaders believe in | | | | that they had done their best work. The young girl |
| them, the more they will accomplish - at all levels. | | | | was forced to redo her work often, and she didn't |
| We often think of leadership in terms of the Jack | | | | always like it. But the work she turned in after being |
| Welch's; the leaders of the military; the leaders of | | | | forced to redo it was always better for the extra |
| our government and institutions; the leaders of our | | | | effort - and she saw that - and knew hard work |
| industries. But leadership doesn't come in any | | | | resulted in accomplishment. |
| particular wrapper - it shows up all over the place. | | | | There was no horseplay in Mrs Kruger's class - no |
| Let me share a story of real leadership: | | | | disrespect. She simply would not let it happen. Her |
| A young girl, in second grade in a small town in | | | | class was a demanding, but safe place for her |
| Wisconsin was tested and classified as a below grade | | | | students to learn. She was energetic, critical, |
| level student. That designation put her in an | | | | optimistic, and a wonderful teacher for this little girl. |
| educational wasteland. Not much expected of her, | | | | Her students respected and feared her - although |
| not much effort spent on her development. Her | | | | she never threatened or used force of any kind. She |
| parents discovered she had a vision problem - she | | | | just demanded her students do their best - even if |
| had been accommodating it by memorizing | | | | they weren't convinced they could do better. And |
| everything. It caught up with her in second grade. | | | | when they did, she recognized them with praise. |
| Her parents fixed the vision problem. Her parents | | | | After a year with Mrs Kruger, this young lady had |
| talked to the school, but they were firm in their | | | | achieved a three grade level improvement in reading, |
| decision to keep her in a below grade level class. The | | | | writing and arithmetic. It wasn't easy - she worked |
| young girl had a hard time thinking of herself as being | | | | really hard. But she knew she had performed - and |
| as good as other kids - after all, her school said she | | | | what a change that made in her feelings about |
| wasn't up to standard. And now she was the only kid | | | | herself. |
| in class with glasses. | | | | From that start - from that year with Mrs Kruger, |
| After this young girl had completed fourth grade, her | | | | this young woman went on to Honors Level classes |
| family moved to California. It was a good time to let | | | | in high school, to graduating from Boston College, and |
| this young girl catch her breath academically, and so | | | | to getting her Masters in Special Education from |
| she repeated fourth grade. No onus on it - she was | | | | Simmons College in Boston. |
| in a completely different place. | | | | We're very proud of our daughter- and we're very |
| And then the stars aligned and this young girl met | | | | thankful that she had the opportunity to spend a |
| the leader who would take her to a new place in her | | | | year of her young life learning from Mrs Kruger - a |
| life. | | | | true leader. |
| Her fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Kruger. A former | | | | There are so many qualities that a leader may |
| military nurse who had been in the South Pacific | | | | possess - but the qualities of optimism; of demanding |
| during WW II. No nonsense, firm, tough. On parents | | | | and expecting the best; of rewarding |
| night she warned all parents to let her students be | | | | accomplishment; rank at the very top of the |
| accountable for their actions. If a student forgot their | | | | leadership list. |
| lunch, don't bring it to school. They won't starve. Let | | | | Take a look at how much you expect from yourself |
| the kids know they are responsible for their own | | | | - and from others. If there is room for improvement, |
| actions. There were no below grade level kids in Mrs | | | | think of this story of Mrs Kruger, who made such a |
| Kruger's world. The young girl did forget her lunch | | | | difference in our daughter's life - and then go out and |
| early in the year. She came home hungry, but she | | | | make it happen. |
| never forgot it again. | | | | Do it today. We all can be Mrs Kruger in our own |
| Mrs Kruger taught from high expectations. If an | | | | way. |
| assignment was turned in that didn't meet her | | | | |