What are the benefits of using “The Big Q” method?
A One of the method’s major benefits to students is that it forces them to operate at high levels of thinking. Teachers, using the tried-and-true Bloom’s Taxonomy to describe levels of thinking, want to bring students beyond the lower levels and help them reach the upper levels. Doing so requires students to record their thinking about three steps in the process, in addition to actually “working the problem.” A second benefit of extending the process from three steps to four is that having students think at these levels will deepen their understanding of mathematics and improve their fluency in using math language. In the short term, students’ performance on assessments will improve, and confidence in their mathematical ability will grow. In the long term, this rigor in elementary school mathematics will prepare students for increased rigor in secondary mathematics, beginning particularly in grade 7. Another benefit of using “The Big Q” is that it will increase teachers’ ability to ide
