1. Opening｜Why Career Exploration Matters in Primary School

Career awareness begins with a child's curiosity about the world, their imagination for the future, and their connections to real-life experiences. At Hongkou Campus, we believe that introducing career exploration during the primary school years helps children see the relevance of their studies, how classroom knowledge links to the real world, and plants the seeds of dreams, allowing them to envision the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.

2. Learning Begins with Parents｜Career Presentations on Campus

Before stepping out for workplace visits, we invited parent volunteers from various professional fields into our classrooms. Through engaging, age-appropriate presentations, they shared stories from their careers. These sessions opened windows into the diverse and colorful world of work, laying a warm and lively foundation for the hands-on explorations to come.

Grade 1

Our first graders chose between two career themes based on their interests: "College Teacher" or "Sustainable Development Specialist.”

In the "Little Secrets of Teamwork" session, Jasper's mom from Class 1-1 unveiled the daily work of a university teacher and shared tips on teamwork. Guided by her, the children became little researchers where they learned about a professor's routine before diving into fun team games like "Mars Rescue" and the "Message Relay Challenge." Through playful interaction, they not only gained a deeper understanding of the teaching profession but also picked up small lessons in cooperation and inquiry. Each participant received a thoughtful gift at the end.

In the "Small Actions, Big Impact" session, Mia's mom from Class 1-2, a Sustainable Development Specialist, led the children into the wonderful world of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Starting with fun videos and real-life photos from her work, she explained topics closely related to daily life, such as biodiversity, clean energy, and zero hunger. Using vivid examples like "How can eating less beef protect forests?" and "How can swapping old toys and books reduce waste?", she sparked the children's interest in global issues and inspired them to act. The session ended with lively discussions and sharing, and each child received cute stickers.

Grade 2

Grade 2 students embarked on a unique journey blending the art of fragrance with the science of semiconductors. Based on their interests, they chose to explore either "Fragrance Specialist" or "Semiconductor Manufacturing," opening the door to the professional world through lively explanations and hands-on practice.

In the fragrance session led by Baobao's mom from Class 2-1, children discovered the diverse sources of scents. Those scents included ranged from the natural fragrance of roses and jasmine to the sweet freshness of oranges and apples, and even precious animal-derived scents like musk. They also learned how scientists now use chemical reactions and bio-fermentation to obtain fragrance molecules in an eco-friendly way. These "invisible little elves," when activated by solvents, can create pleasant atmospheres. The highlight was the perfume-making activity: using droppers, students carefully mixed 2ml of fragrance molecules with 8ml of solvent to create their own unique "breathable gifts" to share with their families.

Meanwhile, in the semiconductor session led by Ryan's dad from Class 2-1, students were introduced to integrated circuits, commonly known as "chips." They learned that transistors, the core components of chips, are as vital as cells are to living organisms. Chip structures are smaller than viruses, with a single chip containing over ten times the number of transistors as the global population which are also all manufactured in highly clean environments. Through simplified, kid-friendly explanations, students understood that semiconductors are at the heart of modern life, powering devices like smartphones and cars. Games like “Stamp Game," "Find the Tiny Mistake," and fun Q&A sessions helped deepen their understanding in an enjoyable way.

Grade 3

Grade 3 students delved into the frontiers of technology with a future-focused dialogue. Centered on "Chip Manufacturing" and "AI Product Designer," their career week was filled with wonder and inspiration.

Beya's dad from Class 3-1 led a session titled "How Our Eyes Are 'Tricked,'" exploring the magical world of display technology and chips. Through optical illusions, shadow puzzles, and Rubik's Cube color games, students were amazed to learn that images are composed of tiny pixels, much like what you'd see under a microscope. They also discovered the principle of "persistence of vision" behind animation and how chips use this trait to create what we see. This session not only demystified technology but also planted seeds of scientific curiosity.

Next, Ian Zeng's mom from Class 3-2 presented an interactive and imaginative session on AI. She explained how artificial intelligence can see, hear, converse, understand, and learn like humans. Through an interactive game, students experienced how AI can recognize objects like envelopes, shoes, and tables, and learned how AI can turn favorite pictures into animations. The most exciting part was watching a robot imitate children's movements and engaging in a lively conversation with the children. This session showed the warmth of technology and left students feeling that AI is not just a tool, but a creative partner that understands and supports human ideas.

 3. Learning in Action｜Career Visits Across the City

In the same week, students stepped out of the classroom and into real workplaces, connecting what they learned with the world beyond school.

Grade 1

Our first graders became "Little Bankers" during their visit to Pingan Bank in Lujiazui, Pudong. Guided by bank staff, they toured the bright lobby and busy work areas, learned about banking equipment like ATMs, and observed the daily work of bank employees.

In the private banking center, an engaging lecture helped them understand how banks keep everyone's deposits safe. During the interactive Q&A session, curiosity was ignited, and seeds of financial knowledge were quietly planted.

At the end of the visit, each student received a "Little Banker" certificate from Pingan Bank. Back at school, they thoughtfully completed reflection tasks summarizing their week of career exploration. Some shared that the ATM tour was their favorite part, while others wrote about aspiring to work in a bank someday. Every student found the experience both fun and rewarding.

Grade 2

After exploring fragrance and semiconductors during the career presentations, Grade 2 students continued their journey into the professional world with a visit to the Shanghai Concert Hall, where they experienced the charm of work in the arts.

The visit began with a guide sharing the concert hall's rich history, immersing the children in its cultural heritage. In the main auditorium, they learned the "odd-left, even-right" seating rule, picked up tips for finding seats quickly, and discovered how sound reflectors enhance acoustics. The elegant "Sea Blue" seats and carpets left a lasting impression.

Next, students explored the guqin exhibition corridor, learning about the instrument's history and unique notation system. On the second-floor balcony, they gazed up in awe at the magnificent golden dome. The tour also included the underground hall and South Hall, where clover-patterned walls and acoustic panels sparked curiosity and discussion. Along the way, portraits of jazz musicians prompted lively guessing games about musical genres, adding to the excitement.

In their reflections, many children expressed continued fascination with the "fragrant world" and newfound interest in chemistry. Some recognized the importance of semiconductors and chips in modern life, while others, inspired by the concert hall's history and golden dome, felt a budding passion for music and architecture.

Grade 3

Inspired by their high-tech career talks, Grade 3 students visited the renowned AI company Sensetime for an immersive "AI Innovator" experience.

In the AI workshop, they became "Stellar Guardians," working in teams through an interactive story to complete three AI challenges. The first was "AI Pictionary," where AI guessed what they drew. The second was "Word Association Elimination," where AI identified related words to clear blocks. Followed by "Shadow Doodle Challenge," where a camera captured their movements to generate guessable sketches. Through play, they grasped how AI learns, recognizes, and responds to human input.

In Sensetime's smart building, students saw AI integrated into daily life—from facial recognition access and 24-hour unmanned stores to AR navigation systems. Technology no longer felt distant but tangible and within reach.

At the AI Experience Center, they explored AI applications in healthcare, art, urban management, autonomous driving, and more. They also interacted with AI products: playing chess with Sense Robot generating stylized portraits, conversing with digital humans, and trying the "Qwen" Q&A system. Amidst laughter and amazement, they truly felt how technology enhances life.

In their reflection reports, students wrote about what surprised them and what is needed to work with AI. Student responses include:

"What surprised me most was that AI also 'thinks'—it reads countless materials and keeps trying to improve before answering."

"To become an AI engineer, you need not only technical skills but also curiosity, observation, and patience." "I want to design AI robots to help people in their daily lives."

"I hope to use AI to solve more problems and make the world better.”

This journey from the classroom to the corporate world broadened their horizons and ignited a spark for innovation and exploration. By moving from theory to practice, our third graders are stepping into the future with curiosity and enthusiasm.

4. From Hearing to Seeing｜Making Learning Meaningful

When career talks meet workplace visits, learning transcends the classroom and becomes a tangible, multisensory experience.

Before stepping into banks, concert halls, or tech companies, students built foundational knowledge through parent presentations. They arrived with curiosity and questions, ready to observe, inquire, and engage. At Pingan Bank, they saw not just ATMs but the financial systems behind them. At the Shanghai Concert Hall, they didn't just sit in "Sea Blue" seats but also felt the resonance between sound and architecture. At Sensetime, they didn't just interact with AI, they experienced how technology learns, thinks, and creates.

This journey "from hearing to seeing" transforms textbook knowledge into lived understanding. Career exploration thus becomes an inspiring path of growth—learning through observation, understanding through questioning, and rooting ideas through practice.

5. Gratitude & Looking Ahead

A heartfelt thank you to all the parent volunteers who shared their expertise and time, opening windows to the professional world for our children. We are also grateful to every parent who helped organize and support the visits, making this journey from the classroom to the workplace possible.

We believe that career exploration is not about steering children toward a specific profession too early, but about helping them see infinite possibilities for the future. Allowing students to recognize integrity and responsibility behind bank counters, to hear art and perseverance under concert hall domes, and to touch innovation and imagination through tech screens.

From curiosity to experience, from dreams to possibilities—this journey of growth and future is only just beginning.

(Written by Nina Kang, Claire Jia, Becky Yang

Pictures by Rachel Wu, Elaine Zhu

Reviewed by Ms. Zhu Dan, Shiyu Wu,)