Summative and Formative Assessment in the Classroom

Summative assessment evaluates student learning at the end of a period, like a final exam or project, to measure overall achievement. Formative assessment occurs throughout learning, providing ongoing feedback to help students improve before final evaluations. Think of summative assessments as a "report card," summarizing what was learned, while formative assessments are like a coach giving tips during practice to guide progress. Both are essential: summative shows overall understanding, and formative supports continuous growth.