No, Mr Keesing was not a strict teacher. Initially, he appeared strict when he gave Anne several warnings for talking in class and assigned her extra homework in the form of essays like 'A Chatterbox' and 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'.

However, he was actually understanding and good-natured. He had a good laugh at her first essay's arguments. Later, when Anne wrote a poem as her third assignment, Mr Keesing read it to the class, adding his own comments. Since then, he has been making jokes and allows her to talk, showing he took the whole situation in good humor rather than enforcing rigid discipline.