A pluralist perspective in the classroom recognizes that knowledge is culturally constructed and an arbitrary process. For example, the procedures different disciplines use to create knowledge often reflect certain social, cultural and behavioral traditions. Teachers should alert students to these implicit cultural assumptions, frames of reference, perspectives, biases and prejudices within a discipline. A pluralist perspective is aware of stereotypes as not only existing between persons or groups but also in methods and practices by which people learn and with which they see the world.
Pluralism in the classroom requires content that reflects, includes and accommodates a variety of cultures and social backgrounds. Teachers should use examples, data, information and research from different cultural traditions to explain and illustrate concepts and theories, no matter the subject area. Even subjects such as mathematics should integrate content. For instance, word problems should use names, situations and scenarios that reflect different ethnic and cultural traditions.
A pluralist perspective in the classroom is not simply the prerogative of educators. Students should be taught to value pluralism and to practice tolerance in the classroom and beyond. A pluralist perspective teaches students to treat all persons as equals and to appreciate individual differences. This perspective, many argue, is critical for students to acknowledge and appreciate diversity in society at large.