NCTM & NSES Standards

I agree with many of you that the NCTM and the NSES standards contain many similarities. Most of these similaritie relate to the processes used but not necesarily the content. Both standards focus on using an inquiry based aproach that emphasizes problem solving, reasoning, proof, communication, and connections to the larger world. Both focus on using teaching strategies which are student-centered and like Tara pointed out, encourage students to do and engage in their learning in order to create their own meaning. This student-centered instruction is based on the assumption that if taught the process of science and math, students will eventualy arive at truth on their own. The NCTM standards are quite a bit more detailed than the NSES standards. I agree with Adriene that this makes sense when you consider math versus science as a process. The subject of math builds upon its most basic concepts so must be taught sequentialy. This is propably why the NCTM Standards address exactly what students should learn in each grade level. Science is a much broader subject which encorporates information that is interconnected in many ways but does not necesarily build sequentialy upon more basic concepts. The science curriculum requirments are broad, allowing for the focus to be on the scientific process.