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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS

B.Ed. PRIMARY GENERAL

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2023/2024

SEMESTER:

Course & Course’s Title:

EDFA 3201

The Challenge of Human Development______________________________

Assessment: Journal Entry 2

Topic:
Ways of Being in the World

SUBMITTED BY: 816031050________________________________

(STUDENT’S ID# ONLY)

TUTOR: Mr. Stephen Gregory_______________________________

DATE DUE: _Monday 26th February 2024_____

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This Paper is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor in Education
Programme, School of Education, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago.

BUS.P.14
2011/2012

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

The Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies

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form and accept that the University may check the originality of the
work using a computer-based plagiarism detection service.

TITLE OF ASSIGNMENT: Journal-Ways of Being in the World

COURSE CODE: 3201
COURSE TITLE: EDFA The Challenge of Human Development
STUDENT ID: 816031050

By signing this declaration, you are confirming that the work you are
submitting is original and does not contain any plagiarized material.
I confirm that this assignment is my own work, and that the work of other
persons has been fully acknowledged.

SIGNATURE: Evana Joseph

DATE: 26/02/2024
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Journal Entry 2

Reflection on Philosophy Sessions

Ways of Being in the World: Authentic Self

Authenticity, as Maria Sirois puts it, is an act of authoring our own existence, scripting our

unique journey through each day (Sirois, 2013). Merriam-Webster defines authenticity as being "true

to one's own personality, spirit, or character." This concept resonates with the idea of genuine and

sincere self-expression across various aspects of life, be it personal relationships or professional

pursuits.

As human beings, we possess the remarkable gift of imagination, often walking in the shoes

of others. However, there lies a challenge: the risk of forgetting to step out of those borrowed shoes

and losing sight of our authentic selves. As per Heidegger, being authentic is a shift in attention and

engagement to reclaiming oneself, from the way we typically are in our everyday ways of being

(Heidegger, 1962).

A term that captured my attention during this session was 'Dasein,' a concept Heidegger uses

to specifically explain human existence. It is not merely an abstract or general concept but a way of

understanding individual human beings in the world. I hold the belief that humans can exist both

authentically and inauthentically, with the latter often dominating our experiences. Consider our

choice to wear designer clothing merely for societal approval, rather than choosing to wear clothes

for ethical or quality reasons.

Being authentic, in my understanding, entails granting oneself the freedom to 'be' – a term

that inherently links to our designation as human 'beings.' Maria Sirois encourages embracing all
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‘our parts’ including the 'good' and 'bad' parts. She shares a powerful example of a woman in her 50s

wanting to wear a bunny suit for Easter. This made me think about numerous times I wanted to do

something but felt too afraid of what society might think. Instead, I opted to revert into my shell

where I was safe from judgement, however, sad because I could not ‘be’.

While the journey to authenticity feels daunting, Sirois suggests striving to be just 5% more

authentic than before. Personally, I've begun incorporating this practice into my life. In my

classroom, I have embraced a more open interaction style with my students. I am abandoning fear or

being silly and playing with them. Through this, I am starting to “author” my journey in the world

towards becoming my authentic self.

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References

Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time ... Translated by John Macquarrie & Edward Robinson. (First

English Edition.).

TedX Talks, & Sirois, M. (2013, January 14). Living an authentic life: Dr. Maria Sirois at TEDxBerkshires.

Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/ohGMg-LJCjs?si=br2A24cmS4DP45yL

References

A. I. UNESCO’S FIVE PILLARS OF EDUCATION. (2014, August 3). Souham’s Blog.

https://souham.wordpress.com/a-a-prologue/

Delors, J., International Commission On Education For The Twenty-First Century, &

Unesco. (2010). Learning : the treasure within : report to UNESCO of the International

Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century. Unesco Publishing.

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Lalrinzuali, F., & Lalbiakdiki Hnamte , L. (2015). The Four Pillars of Education and the

Models of Teaching. 1, 30–31.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353572280_The_Four_Pillars_of_Education_and_the_Mo

dels_of_Teaching