This does tend to indicate that extreme parental pushing can be a huge problem. While I am one who believes students should be allowed to take higher level courses that interest them even if its level is outside of their comfort zone, I also agree that a student can be pushed too much.
Four or more hours of homework per night, total not even considering in one class, is too much regardless of age for any student before college. That level indicates a problem somewhere, so the question is whether it is with the student and his/her ability to do the work, with the teacher and his/her ability to manage the class, or with the administrators and their push for homework in the name of "rigor".
On the flip side, I do believe age/ability appropriate homework can teach a great deal, especially in literature and history courses (read outside of class, discussion in). One of the reasons that so many problems arise in connection with homework seems to come from class sizes and the inability of teachers to truly differentiate. So long as parents and the education establishment insist on differentiation within mixed ability classes instead of tracking, then very small classes are a must.
Busy work is never/rarely good, and homework for the sake of homework shouldn't be allowed. But there is some value to practicing skills (penmanship, math facts, etc.) for some students. Again, if the classes are manageable, then the teacher can tailor the lesson plans AND homework assignments to each child.
I also must say that I'm happier with my son's school after reading this thread. They might not have provided the challenge and differentiation promised and needed, but they also have required very little homework. In Kindergarten, I remember he had 1 or 2 very small assignments per *week* and it has slowly increased each year. He has a pretty good teacher this year who is not requiring him to complete the math homework the other kids are doing and he normally finishes the remainder of his homework in school. But even in talking with other parents, I've found very few who are complaining about the amount of homework, though some are complaining about the level of the work. I'm glad his school at least has a few things right!
