Consider Differentiated Instruction as different pathways to arrive at a central point. Giving students choices toward the achievement of a learning goal and the opportunity for each to succeed. The Standards would be met by choosing any path but each student has some autonomy in determining how they wish to explore the information they are required to learn.

Teacher creativity.  Student engagement.  Innovation in Education.  Win/Win!

Homeschoolers use this style of teaching often because they find that each student in their family may not share the same interests but need to study the same subjects.  An understanding of Multiple Intelligences is also helpful here.