The History Teacher

Billy Collins' poem "The History Teacher" shows how some teachers attempt to make the subjects they teach more appropriate for children even when it is completely incorrect historically. The effect of this is that kids will grow up without realizing that the world is a harsh place and not just full of happy people who help eachother. The teachers efforts are shown to be worthless when the children go and "torment the weak and the smart," . Even the teacher wonders if he is doing the right thing by amking his lessons avoid violence. This poem mocks schools that try to teach history as they would like to see it and not how it really happened.