Michael Strong asks six-year-old Alana how she thinks. She describes storing facts at school and planning routes while playing tag, contrasting her reflection with her dad's focus on immediate tasks. She defines strategy as a way of thinking about winning, quiet or aggressive.
Excuse me.
How are you?
Good, how are you?
I'm well, I'm well. Um, where are you going today?
I'm gonna go to the printers for my dad to pick up some stuff. I don't know what else I'm doing.
Got it. So I remember some time ago, I think we talked a little bit about the difference between kids and adults. Do you remember that conversation?
I don't really think so.
Okay, that's okay. Um, I was wondering if you think that you and your dad mostly think about the same things, or you and your dad think about different things most of the time.
Well, sometimes we think— most of the time we— I think we, um, think of different things.
So what kinds of things do you think about What kinds of things does he think about?
He thinks about what he's doing, like constantly, for, for what he's doing right now.
What do you think about?
For me, like, for example, when I'm talking to you, I'm thinking about what you're asking me.
What do you think about during the school week?
Excuse me?
What do you think about during the school week?
During the school week?
Mm-hmm.
So I mostly think like when we read books, like Bone Books or something, I just learn a piece of information and then I just keep it in my brain and then I think about that and see what can that help.
Mm-hmm. And what do you think about when you're playing with your friends?
When I'm playing with my friends, so for example, if we're playing tag, I would think of where to go if they were trying to go for me.
You, you, um, you froze up for a minute, so I missed what you said. You said when you play tag, you think about what?
I think about where I'm gonna go if they go for me.
Got it. I think tag is a really fun game. Do you like playing tag?
Yes, I do.
It's really fun. And what do you think Logan thinks about?
I don't really know what he thinks about.
Do you think that he thinks, or do you think Logan doesn't think very much?
He probably thinks much, but all I really know is he's probably thinking about letters.
Because he's learning to read?
Yes, he is.
Do you and Logan ever play tag or play some kind of games?
Um, sometimes. Sometimes we play hide and seek together, or yes, sometimes tag.
Do you think that— so do you know what the word strategy means?
Like kind of being like aggressive?
Being like a what?
Does it mean like kind of being like aggressive?
Well, it can, although you can have very quiet, non-aggressive strategies. A strategy is how you think about winning. So if you're playing tag, you might think about, how am I going to win? And if you're playing hide-and-seek, you might think, how am I going to win? Does that make sense?
Yes.
So when you're playing hide-and-seek, I bet if You are the one hiding. You probably try to find as hard a place for him to find as possible, is that right?
Yes.
Are you pretty good at it? Are you pretty hard to find?
Uh, sometimes. Most of the time pretty easy.
Is he hard to find?
Logan?
Yeah.
Um, not really, but sometimes hard.
Okay, so I bet he thinks a little bit about strategy.
Yeah.
Do you think that maybe you think about strategy more in terms of where to go so that it's hard to find you?
Maybe I do because I play, you know, I— so yeah, maybe I do think about strategy more.
Do you think that, um, Your dad thinks about strategy in terms of how to win at the things he's doing?
Excuse me?
Do you think your dad thinks about strategy in terms of how to win at the things he is doing?
Maybe, I don't really know.
Do you want to ask him after the call?
Oh yes, I will.
Okay, how about when you're doing martial arts, do you think about strategy? What to do in order to figure out how to win?
Oh yes, I do a lot of times.
Got it. So maybe kids and adults all think about— they think about different strategies. So your dad probably doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about tag strategy, but maybe a lot of people at all ages think about strategy somehow similar. You think?
Yes, maybe so.
Okay. Um, are there any other ways in which you and your dad think about the same things?
Excuse me?
Are there any other ways that you and your dad think about the same things or in the same way?
You mean like if we're— like if I'm thinking about something, he's thinking Could be anything.
I'm just wondering, I imagine you both get hungry and sometimes you think, oh, when is breakfast or when is lunch? Do you ever think about that? When do you get to eat next?
Not really, but sometimes.
Okay. Do you think that Logan and you think very similarly, or it's hard to tell?
Um, it's hard to tell because he's— yeah, it's hard to tell.
Does he talk now?
Does he talk well? Yeah, he talks pretty good, but not there yet.
Okay. Do you ever ask him questions?
Sometimes, but not like color questions or something.
Okay. I was actually thinking maybe someday he should join us on a Socratic and we should see if we can do a Socratic with Logan. You like that idea?
Okay, we could try.
Okay, well, I'm gonna let you guys have a wonderful day, and I'll let you ask your dad if he thinks about strategies, okay?
Okay.
Bye-bye, Ilana.
Bye, Michael Strong.
