QR for 'Fires in the Bathroom' -Chapter 8

Chapter eight centred around the trials and tribulations of the English-as-second-language learners, and how to differentiate classroom activities so these students aren't completely lost or bored. I think ESL students are often forgotten or overlooked, much as the students describe in this section of the book. However, because they themselves have either seen this happen or have had it happen to them, I think their suggestions should be valued more.

I could especially relate to the suggestion of having an English-speaking buddy paired with an ESL student to increase student-to-student interaction and acclimate to the school and population, because one of my closest friends from senior year of high school was an exchange student from German-speaking Switzerland. She was in one of my classes and on the tennis team with me, and we wound up being doubles partners. It was an excellent way to introduce her to how the school was, and it was really cool to learn about her school and friends and how they were different from American experiences. I think this would help other students, because at one point or another, everyone is the 'new kid', and they sympathize with that.