Message to My Father
by James Aker

It has been a long time since I have thought about you, but going back to a class for the purpose of getting a better understanding about reading and spelling reminds me of the things you used to tell me about getting a better education. I feel that you would be proud of me for trying to improve myself this way; and, who knows where it will go? I may become an engineer of some kind. You always had so much good advice but I did not use it very well. But, lately I have been trying to put more of it in use.

Background Information

Talk about relationships between children and fathers. Talk about your relationship with your father and the instructor or tutor's relationship. Finally, talk about advice and what it's like to get advice when you're a young person.

Questions

1. Who is James talking about in his story?

2. Why does he think of his father?

3. What does engineer mean?

4. What kind of relationship do you think James and his father had?

5. Use the word advice in a sentence.

6. Do you think James' father would be proud of him?

7. What kind of advice do you think his father gave him?

8. Why do you think James didn't use his father's advice?