Understanding the Original NCTM Standards
They're Not Genuine Math Standards
"It's not the things we don't know that get
us
into trouble,
It's the things we do know that ain't so." - Will
Rogers
On April 12, 2000 the NCTM released Principles
and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM), a 402 page
revision
of the NCTM Standards. Please see Understanding the Revised NCTM Standards
The 258 page (original) NCTM Standards, from the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics, have achieved the status of defacto national
math
standards, heavily influencing the development K-12 math standards at
the
state level. In this three-part analysis these "math standards" are
first
analyzed as "standards", then for their characterization of "math"
content
for the K-12 years, and finally from the perspective of NCTM's
philosophy
for "learning math".
-
Chapter 1 outlines the traditional
knowledge-transmission
philosophy of K-12 math education. This is background information to
orient
the reader before encountering the sharply contrasting "progressive"
philosophy
of the NCTM.
-
Chapter 2 begins with a checklist for
evaluating
the quality of a proposed set of math standards. Then the NCTM
Standards
are evaluated as "math standards". This chapter concludes by listing
the
benefits of genuine K-12 math standards, with a separate listing for
the
added benefits of national math standards.
-
Chapters 3 uses quotes from the NCTM
Standards
to analyze "what" content the NCTM says should be learned under the
heading
"math" during the K-12 years.
-
Chapters 4 uses quotes from the NCTM
Standards
to analyze the NCTM's philosophy of "why" and "how" kids should learn
what
the NCTM calls "math".
Next?
Copyright
1997-2005
William G. Quirk, Ph.D.