Recently, during their Personal Growth class, students in Grades 2 and 3 at SHSID Lin'gang Campus experienced a special "Career Day." Parents from various professions stepped into the classroom, sharing their expertise and passion, opening windows for the children world. From the secrets of growing money to the magic of movie-making, from a lesson on justice to the future of electric vehicles -- every talk was a dialogue with tomorrow.

Grade 2 -- Little Financial Planner: The Secret of Making "Red Envelope Money" Grow

"Where does your New Year red envelope money go?" A parent who works as an investment manager kicked off the session with this question, instantly sparking lively discussion. He first showed the children his daily workspace -- eight screens flickering simultaneously, covered with dense numbers and charts. The children's jaws dropped: "Wow, you have to watch all those screens at once?" He smiled and explained that this was the investment manager's "battlefield," with every screen helping him track market changes. Then, using Labubu -- a character the children knew well -- as an example, he said, "Imagine you use your red envelope money to buy a Labubu doll. If its value goes up over time, that's investing. But if its value goes down, that's risk." The children nodded thoughtfully. 

He added that even Isaac Newton, the genius who discovered gravity, lost a great deal of money in financial markets. "So, investing comes with risk, and we must be cautious." So what does an investment manager do? He offered a simple analogy: in the invisible "financial supermarket," an investment manager is your "super shopping guide" -- someone who helps you analyze and protect your money. He also shared three keys to becoming a "little financial whiz": distinguish between "needs" and "wants," keep a daily spending record, and learn in the present moment. He also taught the "one-third rule": divide your money into three parts -- one for spending, one for saving, and one for helping others or achieving small dreams.

Grade 2 -- The Secret of a Director: A Storyteller Behind the Lens

A parent who works as a film director took the children on a fascinating journey behind the silver screen. He explained that a director is a "master storyteller" -- not telling stories with words, but bringing them to life on the big screen using images and camera work. A director has many magical talents: he is a "world builder," able to create entirely new worlds in his mind, and a "visual magician" for whom the camera is a magic wand -- able to zoom in on a tiny ant or look down on an entire city. After filming, the director also becomes the "chief," skillfully combining images, music, and sound effects to make the movie flow smoothly and be exciting. A director's office is also unusual -- not necessarily in an office building, but possibly in a jungle, a castle, or even a spaceship! So, how does one become a director? He gave the children four golden rules: read more, watch more movies, share your big ideas with friends, and observe everything around you. Because inspiration is hidden in everyday life. "A director is a magician who uses stories, images, and sound to create joy and dreams for the audience." After the talk, many children gathered around to ask questions, as if that "magic wand" had already been quietly passed into their hands.

Grade 3 -- Law Class: An Invisible Umbrella

"What would our classroom be like without rules?" A parent who works as a lawyer began her talk with this simple question. The children eagerly responded: "It would be chaos!" "No one could hear anything!" Amid the lively discussion, she gently revealed the essence of the law -- an invisible umbrella that silently protects everyone. She told the children that a lawyer is a guardian of justice and also a "debate master" -- not arguing for the sake of arguing, but using logic and multiple perspectives to clarify the truth. She encouraged them to try thinking like a lawyer: find clues, use logic, and look at problems from different angles. Then came the most important topic: safety. Using vivid examples, she warned the children that AI technology can be misused -- bad people might "clone" Mom and Dad's voices and faces to trick others. She taught them the three "nevers" and one "always": never trust strangers easily, never follow them, never click on suspicious links, and always find a trusted adult when something feels wrong. She also spoke about friendship and respect: "Even a single eraser should not be taken without permission." The companionship and help of classmates, she said, is a treasure more valuable than any toy.

Grade 3 -- Electric Vehicles: A "Big Smartphone on Wheels"

Another third-grade parent took the children on a fascinating journey into the future of technology. "Why do we need new energy vehicles?" The moment the question was asked, the children's eyes lit up. She softly gave three answers: to clear the air, to cool the earth, and to protect distant energy resources. What exactly is a new energy vehicle? She introduced four "family members": battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which run only on electricity, like quiet little guardians; plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which use both electricity and fuel, clever and flexible; hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which rely mainly on fuel with electric support, making them fuel-efficient; and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs), which run on hydrogen and leave only clean water behind. She offered a vivid analogy: an EV is like a "big smartphone on wheels" -- the battery is its heart, the motor its muscles, and the smart software its brain. EVs produce no exhaust, move quietly, and charging them can be as simple as charging a phone -- slow charging at home, fast charging on the road, and even battery swapping and wireless charging. At the end of her talk, she gently encouraged the children: "Electric vehicles are quietly changing our world, and these changes need your amazing ideas."

Though Career Day was brief, it left a genuine impression on the children's hearts. May these sincere stories from parents become a gentle and steady light as the children gaze toward the future.

(Written by Shawna Zhang

Pictures by Chun’ai Xu

Reviewed by Ms. Shi Xiaoting, Shiyu Wu, Hannah Kloeber)