Title: 
Headings: 4 Common Types of Tests Teachers Give (and Why)
4 Common Types of Tests Teachers Give (and Why)
Different Types of Testing
1. Diagnostic Testing
2. Formative Testing
3. Benchmark Testing
4. Summative Testing
Combining Test Results

Content: The students moved the hands to express each one, and would hold up their clocks so I could check who was having trouble. This is one type of testing. It gave me feedback on student learning during the lesson and helped me tailor my instruction in real time. What testing offers me, as a teacher, is information about where students are in their learning and insights that guide me as I move forward with my lesson plans. As a parent, I get testing information on my two boys, Jace (13) and Luke (10), throughout the school year. I use the feedback from different forms of testing — grades on assignments, an analysis of a benchmark test, course grades, notes from their teacher, and standardized test results — to track the progress that they are making. What testing offers me, as a parent, is an understanding of how my boys are doing academically. It gives me insight into their performance on a particular assignment, lets me compare my kids’ performance against their target goals, and allows me to assess their need for supplementary help. Test results are a way for me to have eyes on my kids’ classrooms even though I am not there. I value knowing where my boys excel and where they struggle, since this information guides what we focus on when we do homework at the kitchen table.