This September marks a new beginning for the Fengxian New Campus. For Grade 1 students, it is also the first stop on their primary school journey.

For young children stepping into primary school, adapting to a new environment often starts with the little things: organizing their belongings, following rules, taking responsibility, and learning to find solutions when problems arise. Developing these everyday habits is therefore an important part of the Grade 1 experience.

With this in mind, the Grade 1 team at the Fengxian Campus created the Bright Journey Growth Booklet. Designed especially for young learners, the booklet encourages children to record their experiences, reflect on their progress, and take an active role in their own growth.

Accompanying the children on this journey is Brighty, the panda mascot of the Fengxian New Campus. Brighty's name carries a simple wish for every child: to shine bright every day. Through every small step forward, we hope children will discover their own strengths and continue growing into the best versions of themselves.

01 | A Ticket to Growth

On the first day of school, September 1, the Grade 1 students received a special welcome gift—a ticket of their very own. They placed the ticket in their Bright Journey booklet, marking the very first memory of their primary school journey.

The Bright Journey booklet is more than a record of growth. It is also a map that guides children forward, step by step. Along the way, children explore four different stations: My Habit Station, My Duty Station, My Independent Learning Station, and My Challenge Station. Each station focuses on a different aspect of growth. The journey begins with adapting to primary school and building basic habits, then moves on to understanding responsibility, developing independent learning skills, and learning to face challenges. The stations are carefully designed around the developmental needs of Grade 1 students, and each stage builds naturally on the one before it.

02 | Making Growth Visible—and Helping Children See Themselves

At every station of Bright Journey, the focus is not only on what children have achieved, but also on how they understand their own growth. At the end of each stage, children take time to reflect. They share what they have learned, record the difficulties they encounter, think about possible solutions, and set new goals for the next stage.

Self-assessment is another essential part of the journey. Designed with young learners in mind, the “Growth Traffic Light” offers a simple and visual way for children to reflect on their learning and behaviour: Green means “I’m doing great.” Yellow means “I’m making progress.” Red means “I still need to work on this.”

Assessment is no longer only something that comes from the teacher. It also becomes a way for children to understand themselves. Through regular reflection, we hope they can recognise their progress, identify areas for improvement, and turn these discoveries into clear and meaningful goals for the next stage of their journey.

03 | The Journey of Growth Can Begin at Home Too

Building good habits requires support from both school and home. To help children adjust to primary school and help families better understand the habits children are developing at different stages, the Grade 1 team has also created a home-school learning platform on Padlet to complement the Bright Journey booklet. Each week, the platform shares small habits for children to focus on, offering families ideas for conversation and practice. In this way, guidance from school can naturally extend into everyday life.

As the Bright Journey unfolds, warm and positive feedback from families has added another meaningful dimension to the experience. The booklet has travelled beyond the classroom and into children's homes, becoming a bridge for parent-child reading, conversation, and shared growth.

Children and parents read through the booklet together, discuss growth goals, and share their hopes for primary school. These simple yet precious moments allow habit-building to continue beyond the classroom. Many parents have noted that Bright Journey turns the abstract idea of habit-building into specific and achievable daily goals, helping children gradually develop self-discipline in their everyday lives. As one parent shared, “One habit a day—not too much, not too difficult, but practiced consistently. Over time, persistence takes root and self-discipline becomes a part of who they are.” Other parents also mentioned that the Bright Journey booklet and Padlet provide clear guidance for families, helping them better understand the key areas of growth at different stages and creating meaningful opportunities to talk with their children about their learning and development, even within limited family time.

When children are willing to share their achievements and challenges, and parents respond with listening, encouragement, and support, school and home can work together to accompany every step of a child's growth.

Good habits are not formed overnight. They grow through continuous practice, reflection, and adjustment. At each station, children will gain experience through real learning and life situations. They will learn to understand themselves, solve problems, and gradually develop the ability to manage themselves, take responsibility, learn independently, and face challenges with confidence.

Growth begins with every small change and takes shape through every effort and attempt. As children move forward on their Bright Journey, may they continue to discover themselves through practice, grow through challenges, and strive to become brighter with each step.

(Written by Jingyao Lin

Pictures by Haijie Gong, G1 Teachers

Reviewed by Xing Ye, Shiyu Wu, Ciara Cox)