Goodbye Homework?!?

The first classroom that I was in as a student teacher this semester had a bit of a shocking environment... nothing was taken home, no homework was assigned, all reading was done in class only.

Well, nothing was taken home because it would never come back...
No homework was assigned because it wouldn't get done...
All reading was done in class because that was the only way to be sure it was actually done...

With students having to work after school, take care of younger siblings, make dinner, etc. school is not a first or maybe even an included priority in their daily to-do list.

How do you handle a classroom like this? do you make the assignments knowing that the students can't or won't do them? or do you cater to their needs and wonder if your letting them off the hook too easy?

How much is too much? How little is not enough?

Here are some websites exploring the debate:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3617/is_200310/ai_n9341272

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/how_important_homework.html

http://www.youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=1841

http://www.pickens.k12.sc.us/adept/Z%20Articles/HomeworkHelp.htm

http://www.blurtit.com/q866505.html

http://www.newhorizons.org/lifelong/adolescence/axelsen.htm

http://specialed.about.com/od/teacherchecklists/a/hmwk.htm

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/19_01/qa3_191.shtml (deals with above!!)

These sites show a variety of viewpoints on what homework is, what purposes it serves, how much is appropriate, and tips for assigning it. Ultimately though, I feel like it really depends on your students and your classroom environment.