I think the results of multiplication of small integers should be remembered from frequent use, rather than explicitly committed to memory. Acting as if these v

I think the results of multiplication of small integers should be remembered from frequent use, rather than explicitly committed to memory. Acting as if these values are a member of a group that must be memorized like state names, as if they are arbitrary, distances students from understanding that they can easily determine a multiplication result by calculation if they don't know it (or 'remember' it). I think we might be working from a different idea of what memorization means. I associate it with a truly rote impression of abstract strings with no attempt at comprehension of their meanings individually (as alluded to in the article). I'd think something like Spanish phrases require comprehension to be used. Definitely one problem was lack of coordination between teachers in the area of homework load; sometimes teachers would arbitrarily declare that we needed to be spending twice as much time on their class for a period of time. I suppose teachers may think the student workload is reasonable because they have their own. Overall I think that would reflect a lack of understanding that it's improper to expect another person's child's world to be almost entirely composed of your governments school plan. Academically, I learned far more outside of school reading and programming on my own, and in music lessons outside of school. The teacher is being compensated monetarily for their time and that is his or her choice.