Working smart, indeed. I did not go to a demanding school (before university), but was loaded with what I considered to be meaningless assignments. So much of the work was redundant--not only that, it robbed me of precious time, my time, to do what I found important. There were no canes or squats awaiting the recalcitrant student--just points subtracted from a grade and disapproving frowns. That was fine with me. I think I used my time wisely. Those assignments that had value, I completed. Otherwise I read a book, generally. This usually was far more educational than the repetitive work teachers assigned.
I don't recommend this course for everyone. Sometimes, repetition and practice are good, but I don't think it should ever steal precious time from childhood, and I don't think it should deprive students of quiet time to reflect and be creative.
I applaud your declaration of freedom from grunt work. It probably was prelude to a lifetime of independent thinking and action.