Originally Posted by ultramarina
I want my children challenged--don't get me wrong. In k-5, can you challenge them in the dang classroom and let them come home and be children? 10, 20, maybe 30 minutes at grade 5. Okay. Middle and high school, more is appropriate. But the little ones. No.

Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Children in our area are in the school building for 30 plus hours a week. That should be plenty of time for learning with little need for homework.

On the slightly favorable homework environment side, DS' school offers aftercare for a reasonable fee (since the school closes before most parents are out of work). The first hour is quiet time for homework, then reading. Teachers supervise the time and check homework. This works very well.