Homework is a formative assessment. Homework is an opportunity for students to practice a skill in preparation for the summative assessment. Homework gives the teacher feedback, it lets the teacher know if the student needs more instruction/practice or if they are ready to move on to a new learning standard.
The purpose of homework is to practice something, it is not used to show mastery of a learning standard.
What Are Formative Assessments?
Formative assessments are assignments that are meant to give the teacher insight into whether or not a student is meeting a learning standard.
Formative assessments don’t have as much of an impact on overall grades compared to summative assessments.
For more about formative assessments I wrote this article all about them.
In my eighth grade class I usually have students complete two or three formative assessments before I can determine whether or not they are ready for the summative assessment.
The summative assessment has a larger impact on overall grades than formative ones.
In the school district I teach for the formative assessments are only 10% of a students overall grade and the summative is 90%.
Allen is an 8th grade teacher in a public school in a Chicago suburb.