To me rote learning of basic math is important if you ever want to be successful in a stem career. Understanding why 6*4 is 24 is important and should be taught but knowing it instantly without thinking or making errors is critical for the next levels of Math.
You don't have time in advanced levels of math to evaluate what 6*4 is. The only way to get that speed is memorization of the underlying facts. This extends to trig identities and basic calculus operations.
Without being able to do the easy stuff with speed you can't learn the physics and chemistry that relies on the easy stuff.
I give my kids extra Math homework to increase speed and accuracy. Not much but 15 minutes of questions helps greatly at increasing speed, accuracy, and confidence.
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