In mid-May, the Puxi Campus hosted its Open Day for Grades 1 to 3, welcoming nearly 600 parents onto campus for a first-hand view of the school’s curriculum and their children’s daily learning experiences. This Open Day not only covered core subjects such as Chinese, Math, and English, but also special sessions including a dynamic PE class for Grade 2 and a creative art class for Grade 3, offering a multi-dimensional showcase of student growth and development.

As the school bell rang, parents quietly and orderly took their seats at the back of the classroom. In the bright classrooms, the children sat upright with focused eyes, full of curiosity and eagerness to learn. The teachers, energetic and engaging, used vivid language and thoughtfully-designed activities to guide the students into the world of knowledge.

At the back of the classroom, parents listened intently or took careful notes, occasionally smiling with understanding. Their eyes were filled with care, appreciation, and encouragement. Seeing their children actively engaged in thinking, eagerly participating in discussions, and following classroom rules, parents couldn’t hide the surprise and pride on their faces.

During the break, the children warmly welcomed their parents like little hosts, attending to them with care and enthusiasm. Some proudly introduced the work displayed in the classroom and hallways, eagerly sharing the stories behind their creations; others excitedly introduced their close friends; and many joyfully shared fun moments from class and snippets of their daily school life.

Each grade thoughtfully prepared teaching demonstrations aligned with their curriculum goals. Now, let’s step into the classrooms and take a closer look at the children’s wonderful performances and the heartfelt feedback from their parents.

Grade 1: Building Good Habits, Demonstrating Fun and Engaging Learning

The Grade 1 Open Day began with a warm and engaging shared reading session, as teachers and students delved into the world of the picture book The Dot. This reading journey centered around themes of brave expression and self-discovery, inspiring children to draw courage from the protagonist’s story and confidently share their own creative ideas.

Math class featured an exciting coin challenge game. Through a series of progressively difficult money-counting tasks, the children reinforced their knowledge while having fun along the way.

In the social studies class, a simulated shopping activity gave students a hands-on experience of the importance of budgeting, teaching them how to make thoughtful choices within limited resources.

Finally, the Chinese lesson was especially engaging, as students took on the task of helping to draft and deliver announcements. This activity strengthened their skills in gathering information and logical expression. The children’s clear structure and enthusiastic participation brought proud smiles to the faces of the parents in attendance.

The many thoughtful moments observed in the classroom also resonated deeply with parents, sparking reflections on their children’s growth and development:

"On one hand, under the teacher’s guidance, children actively engage in thinking and learn within a relaxed and joyful atmosphere; on the other hand, the course activities effectively nurture their teamwork skills."

“The children are able to listen carefully and follow the teachers’ instructions, and the teachers seem to have a kind of ‘magic’ that always captures the children’s attention.”

“Three hours of classes in one morning, and the children were able to maintain their focus and persevere until the end. I think this is truly impressive. The intensity and density of the lessons were considerable, and the children’s serious engagement not only reflects their own growth and training but also owes much to the careful course design and the teachers’ effective management.”

"The learning content across all subjects is closely connected to real life, and the courses have a strong focus on practical social application, enabling students to truly apply what they have learned."

Grade 2: Nurturing Both Body and Mind for Buoyant Growth

The Grade 2 Chinese morning class, focused on reading texts aloud, began with laughter and cheerful voices. The children immersed themselves in learning the Earthly Branches and the Twelve Zodiac Animals, interacting with their parents to estimate their ages, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Using the story of “Nezha and Ao Bing’s Day” as a literary scenario, they further explored the concept of the Twelve Traditional Chinese Hours, experiencing the charm of Chinese culture in an entertaining and educational way.

Stepping into the science classroom, an exciting experiment was underway. The children made colorful slime by hand, exploring the fascinating mystery of non-Newtonian fluids. Through hands-on practice and joyful exploration, the seeds of science quietly took root in their hearts, with excitement and curiosity shining brightly on their faces.

The playground was buzzing with energy as the PE class offered the children a dynamic feast of sports. Children alternated between basketball, floor hockey, running, and gymnastics, all the while running, jumping, and challenging themselves with full enthusiasm. Parents cheered from the sidelines, applauding their children’s perseverance and radiant smiles.

Entering the Grade 2 math classroom, the teacher was guiding the children through a group collaborative investigation. The kids transformed into little detectives, using logical reasoning to unravel and solve number sequence puzzles step by step.

After the Open Day, parents enthusiastically expressed their appreciation and approval of the Grade 2 classroom activities:

“The Grade 2 Chinese class was lively and engaging, and the children actively participated in math with vibrant thinking. The science experiment brought a strong sense of accomplishment, and the PE class brought out a spirit of comradery and teamwork among the children.

“The Chinese lessons were rich in content and explained clearly and thoroughly. The children were able to grasp the knowledge well in class, resulting in high learning efficiency. The science class was highly interactive, using lively and engaging experiments to help the children understand the properties of slime. The hands-on creation process combined education with fun, effectively sparking their interest and enthusiasm for learning.”

“The child actively participated in class, followed the rules and did not answer out of turn, showed respect for others’ speaking, and managed their own behavior well.”

Grade 3: Where Beauty Meets Thought, Creativity Takes Flight

Through the step-by-step exploration during Chinese class, Grade 3 students came to understand the “clear sky, beautiful scenery, and… leisurely poet” depicted in the poem “On the Road to Sanqu,” and they felt the subtle emotions quietly conveyed by Chinese literati through the lines about the orioles’ soft songs.

In art class, the teachers took the children on a journey back to the ancient Shu civilization thousands of years ago. Building on the preparations from previous lessons, the children boldly picked up rollers to apply paint and created their first printmaking works inspired by the artistic style of Sanxingdui.

In English class, the teachers guided the children to work collaboratively in groups to read about the survival status of endangered species, then brainstorm solutions from a child’s perspective. The children’s spontaneous and well-reasoned contributions brought knowing smiles to the parents’ faces.

In math class, the children engaged in a “Detective Basics” lesson. To solve a series of unfolding “cases,” they carefully unraveled clues, learning to organize information using tables and develop their logical reasoning skills.

After the Open Day, parents shared their feedback on the classes and the children:

“Thank you to the school for the careful preparation. The Open Day showcased the children’s ability to stay focused and engage in active thinking throughout. We hope they will be encouraged to maintain this momentum.”

“The tightly packed schedule allowed parents to closely observe the children’s performance in many classes. The classroom atmosphere was natural and lively! We are proud of the children and applaud the teachers’ professionalism!”

“The level of classroom participation was very high, quite different from the quiet and reserved impression we had of her. She stepped out of her comfort zone and actively engaged with both teachers and classmates.”

“Overall, all the children in the class were able to keep pace with the teacher, actively think about the questions, and provide timely positive feedback to the teacher.”

The Open Day concluded successfully in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Through immersive classroom experiences, parents gained a direct understanding of the school’s educational philosophy, teachers’ instructional methods, and their children’s true behavior around their peer groups. This provided them with a more concrete and in-depth insight into their children’s school life. The vast majority of parents observed that their children were actively engaged in class, confident in expressing themselves, and highly participative. They also noticed significant growth and increased self-confidence in their children. Many parents expressed strong approval and trust in the school’s teaching philosophy, class arrangements, and teacher-student interactions. This event built a solid bridge of trust and cooperation between home and school.