When I do formative assessment workshops, I always include a section on what formative assessment is not.
Many school districts are buying into systems that supposedly do formative assessment. Usually these systems test students every 4-6 weeks and often provide a list of what skills the students have and do not have. The programs may provide “remedial” work to help the students. How many schools district would tell their athletic coach to wait until 4-6 weeks to assess the strengths and areas for growth for each player? Coaches want their players to improve each practice. How many school districts would tell their teachers not to assess students until every 4-6 weeks? Classroom teachers need to be the ones to assess and help their students on a daily or weekly basis.
How many schools would want their coach to say generic statements like “work harder at passing the ball” without giving the players better strategies for passing the ball? Unfortunately many systems provide just vague feedback such as “Organize ideas”. These systems do not offer students a choice of strategies; they simply provide one way of learning the material or do not even provide a strategy. Many systems just drill the students.
Unfortunately, much of what “sells” for formative assessment is in fact just summative testing.
I define formative assessment as ” based on the students’ present learning condition, providing strategies so the students can immediately begin to achieve the desired goal”. The classroom teacher is the heart and soul of formative assessment. Formative assessment takes place as part of the normal classroom. It happens constantly in the classroom. The teacher always focuses on what the students are learning and how to help them better learn.
Here’s an article that gives some additional information. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/11/10/12assess.h30.html
My book, Formative Assessment: Responding to Your Students, is available through Eye on Education.
Also, my book, Successful Student Writing Through Formative Assessment, is available through Eye on Education.
Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle 
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