On September 22, SHSID Hongkou Campus hosted the Grade 1 Parent Night. Through grade-level sharing, subject showcases, and homeroom teacher conversations, parents gained a closer look into their children’s everyday school life and joined teachers in exploring how to support students as they begin their elementary school journey.

1. A Closer Look at School Life and Early Growth

Before the meeting began, parents arrived on campus, where a registration desk had been prepared to welcome them. Teachers handed out name tags and meeting handouts according to the registration list. In addition to the evening’s agenda, the handouts included subject-specific learning tips and practical suggestions for supporting children at home, helping parents provide meaningful support for their children’s learning and development in everyday life. After collecting their materials, parents took their seats. On the large screen, a video showcased highlights from Grade 1 students’ school life since the beginning of the school year. Featuring authentic moments from classrooms and campus activities, the video offered parents a glimpse into their children’s daily experiences as they began their elementary school journey.

The evening began with Ms. Chen, the host, who welcomed all the parents and introduced the agenda for the evening.

Next, Grade 1 Team Leader, Ms. Sheng, shared an overview of the grade level and highlighted the students’ rapid growth since the start of the school year. The children are gradually becoming familiar with school life and have already made noticeable progress in areas such as preparing for class, lining up, and organizing their belongings.

Ms. Sheng also introduced the school’s Personal Growth (PG) class. Taking the theme of the first month’s PG lessons— “Safety Education Month”—as an example, she explained how the school integrates safety awareness and habit-building into students’ everyday school experiences. She also introduced the school’s core values of HERO—Honesty, Etiquette, Respect, and Organization—and the importance of goal setting. Parents were encouraged to focus on developing their children’s independence and self-management skills. Through patient and consistent guidance from both home and school, children can develop a strong sense of security and belonging in their new environment while building independent habits step by step.

2. Understanding Learning, Finding Ways to Support

Following the grade-level sharing, teachers from each subject took the stage to introduce their curriculum in greater detail. Drawing on the unique features of their respective subjects, they shared the course structure, learning objectives, key content, and a variety of engaging learning activities. Each subject area also offered practical suggestions to help parents support their children’s learning at home.

Math: Emphasized integrating computation and logical thinking into everyday situations. Parents were encouraged to explore math with their children in daily life while helping them develop good habits such as reading problems carefully and correcting mistakes promptly.

Chinese: Encouraged parents to read aloud with their children, invite them to confidently share their daily experiences, and build vocabulary through everyday conversations, while gradually developing an awareness of neat and careful handwriting.

English: Encouraged students to speak more and make use of small pockets of time throughout the day to listen and speak in English, while building a sense of language through consistent daily reading.

Science and Social Studies: Teachers shared some of the inquiry projects students had already completed since the beginning of the school year and offered a preview of the fun and engaging activities coming up next.

PE, Music, and Art: Teachers introduced not only the regular curriculum but also a wide range of enrichment courses and after-school clubs. These included diverse sports programs such as track and field, gymnastics, and ball games, as well as engaging dance and music clubs, with photos of students’ performances showcasing their enthusiasm and creativity. The art display also featured colorful works that captured the children’s imagination and innocent expressions.

The evening concluded with a session on school health and wellbeing. School nurse Ms. May introduced the medical room’s emergency support facilities and explained the school’s daily health and safety procedures in detail. Her sharing helped parents better understand the health support available on campus and the related expectations, working together with the school to promote their children’s health and wellbeing.

3. Looking Ahead, Building Habits Today

Following the subject presentations, Ms. Chris, Head of the Hongkou Campus, shared her thoughts on students’ long-term growth. She emphasized that in an era of rapid AI development, the school is committed to nurturing students’ curiosity, spirit of inquiry, independent thinking, confident expression, collaboration, and sense of responsibility. These qualities are not developed overnight; rather, they take root through everyday classroom exploration and the small moments of school life in Grade 1.

Grade 1 is a crucial stage for laying the foundation for children’s growth. One of its key goals is to help students become independent learners and responsible global citizens. Achieving this goal requires close partnership between home and school. By keeping a long-term perspective and focusing on everyday practices, parents and teachers can turn shared educational goals into meaningful actions, day by day.

To support families in putting these ideas into practice, Ms. Chris shared three practical guidelines for parents. First, help children establish a stable daily rhythm for life and learning. Parents can create clear and consistent routines for learning and daily life at home, gradually reducing children’s reliance on reminders, and helping them develop habits of independence and self-discipline. Second, listen patiently and make time for reading together. Parents are encouraged to pay attention to their children’s everyday school experiences and actively ask about what they have seen, experienced, and felt. When children feel that their thoughts are respected and heard, they are more likely to develop the confidence to express themselves and think independently. Third, gradually empower children to take ownership of their own growth. Parents can encourage children to independently manage age-appropriate responsibilities, such as packing and organizing their school bags. This means learning when to step back and provide support in appropriate ways, focusing on children’s efforts and progress, and allowing them the time and space to grow rather than doing things for them.

To help families put these practices into action, the school has developed detailed guidance for supporting children’s growth at home, along with clear and structured channels for home-school communication. Ms. Chris explained that when teachers provide feedback on students, they will focus on three key areas: observations at school, support provided at school, and ways families can provide support at home. This shared framework will help make communication between home and school more focused and effective. At the same time, parents are encouraged to share their children’s experiences at home and communicate openly with teachers through the appropriate channels whenever they encounter questions or challenges. By working together, families and teachers can develop follow-up plans and establish clear points for reviewing students’ progress.

In closing, Ms. Chris encouraged both home and school to take action from day one. With shared educational goals and consistent, meaningful support in everyday life, families and teachers can work together to help every Grade 1 student take confident and steady steps on the first stage of their elementary school journey.

4. Inside the Classroom, Building Understanding

After the first part of the evening, parents gathered in the hallway to chat and exchange their experiences and thoughts on supporting their children’s growth. The relaxed and lively conversations not only brought parents closer together but also helped lay the foundation for stronger home-school partnerships.

The evening then moved into its second part, as parents headed to their children’s classrooms for further conversations with the homeroom teachers. Upon entering the classroom, parents found a special “thank-you” waiting for them on their children’s desks. “Best Audience Award,” “Bedtime Story Champion,” and more—each child had chosen a certificate prepared by the teacher as a little award for their parent. In children’s eyes, being listened to attentively and having someone read with them are both things worth celebrating. These small but meaningful gestures reminded parents of the value of their everyday presence and companionship.

The homeroom teachers then introduced the routines and expectations of their classrooms in detail and shared how the children had been adapting to school life. Everyday goals such as independently organizing school supplies, maintaining regular Chinese and English reading habits, and recording homework independently were broken down into simple, practical steps that parents could support at home.

Building on the home-school communication approach introduced earlier, teachers also shared several real-life examples from school to show how families and teachers can work together when children encounter academic challenges, emotional difficulties, or friendship conflicts. Through consistent guidance and support, children can gradually develop the confidence and skills to solve problems independently.

Throughout the session, teachers also patiently answered parents’ questions and addressed their specific concerns, making the conversations practical, open, and meaningful.

From a glimpse into everyday school life, a window into authentic classroom learning, and  a certificate personally chosen by each child and placed on their parent’s desk, every part of Parents’ Night reflected one shared hope: that every child can begin this new journey feeling understood, supported, and confident. The teachers at the Hongkou Campus will continue to work hand in hand with families, turning shared hopes into patient and purposeful actions each day. Together, we will support every child as they take their first steps on their elementary school learning journey and grow with confidence along the way.

(Written by Becky Yang

Pictures by Elaine Zhu

Reviewed by Dan Zhu, Shiyu Wu)