One of the big moves in education today is to try to get teachers to use formative assessments in their classrooms so that instruction can be driven by what students most need to learn or review. Fancy teaching jargon aside, formative assessments are something that good teachers have been using for years and years. Formative assessments are meant to gauge a student's progress or understanding of a topic or concept without being graded. They are used to help the teacher understand which areas a student may need to revisit and which areas a student may already have mastered. If you are reading this and thinking, 'Well duh, that's obvious,' then you're not alone. It seems obvious that teachers should be using these sorts of evaluations on a daily basis. You would also be surprised at how many teachers don't do this correctly. Taking grades on homework, for example, or giving points just for doing an assignment are all very common, but are technically not in line with the principles of formative assessment.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, are usually what one might think of when they think about assessment. Summative assessments include the traditional tests, quizzes, and projects that teachers use to evaluate student progress. These assessments are graded and do affect the student's grade for a class. Using good summative assessment techniques is every bit as important as using effective formative assessments. Together, these tools allow teachers to properly evaluate a student's learning and mastery of the material. They can also be used to guide a teacher's focus in terms of instruction.

For more information on formative vs. summative assessments, check out this article from the Association for Middle Level Education.