Recently, UHSSE Spanish teacher Amanda Faria  wrote a book entitled Four Tongues One Heart. It is currently available for purchase on Amazon. 

This is something that Mrs. Faria has wanted to do for a long time. “I had a book that I was working on, and I decided to put a pause on it because it wasn’t the right book at the time for my career, and I’ve always loved poetry,” she said. 

She said as a person, writing this book was a great experience because it gave her a sense of accomplishment and showed her that if you set your mind to it, you can pretty much accomplish anything. As a teacher, besides being able to publish a book that students can read in a variety of languages, it also changed her in the sense that she got the kids to also enjoy poetry and be able to expose them to different types of texts. Mrs. Faria is also willing to write another book like this in the future. She has other pieces of poetry that she has been writing, but she has other ideas for books as well. 

When Mrs. Faria was asked about potentially collaborating with others on a future project like this, she said, “If opportunity came up why not. The next one will most likely be solo, but I would not say no if someone wanted to write a book with me.” 

People throughout UHSSE who have read this book have given a lot of positive feedback on it. 

“I absolutely loved this book,” said UHSSE office assistant Kara Thomas.

“Mrs. Faria’s book was simply breathtaking!” said visual arts teacher Guy Richters. “What struck me most profoundly was how effectively she channeled her emotions through language. To witness her express herself so vividly in Spanish, English, Italian, and Portuguese was a testament to her remarkable linguistic and emotional range.”

This book is full of poems that capture the reader’s mind, and Ms. Kara also said that overall it was an amazing thing to read. Mr. Richters shared that he felt like each poem was like a complete personal journey. And from an art perspective, he said that the way she used the elements of art in her poetry was masterful. The vivid imagery that she evoked and the rhythm and flow created a sense of movement for him. He truly felt like she painted with words, creative vivid scenes, and textures. 

“What truly resonated with me, though, was how seamlessly her poetic expression connected to the art of teaching (The Spanish Classroom, I am a Latina Teacher, and A Love for Learning). As educators, we constantly strive to connect with our students on an emotional level, to create a space where they feel seen and heard,” said Mr. Richters. “Mrs. Faria’s ability to convey her emotions so powerfully through language is a shining example of how we can use art to foster empathy and understanding in the classroom.

If you are interested in reading this book, check it out on Amazon, as well as check it out from the Windsor Public Library. Mrs. Faria also thanks you for your feedback.