FROM HOMOGENIZATION TO DIVERSITY: CHALLENGES FOR THE CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL IN TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES

Abstract

This article analyzes the transition from the modern school to the contemporary school, highlighting its implications for teaching and learning processes, especially within the context of Brazilian society, which is marked by cultural diversity and historical inequalities. The discussion addresses the school as a space for the reproduction and/or transformation of society, problematizing the coloniality of knowledge and the power relations that influence the curriculum and pedagogical practices. Based on the dialogue with decolonial thought, the study emphasizes the importance of valuing diverse epistemologies and promoting intercultural education. Furthermore, it discusses the role of schools in confronting ethnic-racial inequalities by conceptualizing racism, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes as structural elements of social relations. The article also examines pedagogical practices in everyday school life, highlighting challenges and possibilities for valuing diversity. It concludes that the contemporary school should assume a critical and transformative role, committed to equity, social justice, and the construction of plural identities through inclusive and reflective pedagogical practices.