Når testning griber ind i pædagogikken

The article reports from a study of assessment practices in Danish kindergartens. The main question asked is how the increasing focus on assessment of children in kindergarten influences the pedagogical work with the children and the relations between children and adults. It is found that the focus on assessment has a number of different consequences: It influences the pedagogical style and directs it away from formerly held pedagogical ideals and values. Assessment installs a subject-ob- ject relationship between adult and child and tends to exclude a child-perspective. Also, the assessment practices tend to communicate certain ideals about normality, which may mean a decreased openness towards diversity and difference. Lastly, it is suggested that the increase in practices of assessment can be understood as a bu- reaucratic instrument for increased administrative regulation and control of kin- dergartens, but it is also found, that the kindergarten professionals may experience it as a strengthening of their professional work.