6 Reasons Concordia Students Excel

At Concordia International School Shanghai, we strive to provide the best educational foundation possible so your children can excel in any endeavor they choose. 

You may be wondering, what makes Concordia Shanghai such a good international school, and what can it offer my child?

Below we’ve outlined just six of the many reasons why Concordia international School Shanghai is an excellent choice of international school in Shanghai for your child. 

1. A challenging curriculum

A well-designed curriculum is the foundation for the success of our students at Concordia International School Shanghai. Our rigorous curriculum may be academically challenging, but thanks to the right supports in place at every stage of your child’s journey with us you can be comfortable knowing your child will excel. 

“Challenges are best experienced when teachers know each child’s strengths and growth areas and work to find that optimal level for gain. The programs we use are designed to do just that,” said Evelyn Chaveriat, Senior Director of Enrollment Management at Concordia Shanghai..

At Concordia Shanghai, our foundational teaching philosophy of “deeper learning, wrapped in relationships” further encourages our students to develop a deeper understanding of course materials. You will see your child not only exceed the academic expectations of our school, but you will also see them thrive and grow into insightful learners with a global perspective. 

2. College counsellors 

When it comes to applying for college, having stellar grades and an impressive array of co-curricular activities on your record isn’t always enough for your children to stand out as an applicant.

To make sure your children can earn an acceptance into their university of choice, at Concordia Shanghai we provide all our grade 9-12 students with a dedicated college counsellor to guide them through this exciting time in their life. 

“By going beyond just academic achievement and focusing on personal development and the ‘why’ behind academic success, we help students to develop into complete college applicants,” said veteran Concordia college counsellor Patrick Love. 

With a ratio of one counselor per 110 students (1:110), our counsellors can personalize their guidance and feedback for your children, and combined with their immense knowledge base of top universities and pre-college programs around the world, your children have access to a valuable source of information at a critical stage in their lives.

“Our deep knowledge of colleges and admissions trends, as well as our close relationship with each student uniquely equips us to be the best support your student can have in the college process,” said Love. 

3. Spirituality and Service Learning

At Concordia, we not only focus our attention on your childrens’ academic success. We also invest time and energy into developing their emotional and spiritual wellbeing. 

Though service learning, your children can apply what they learn in the classroom in valuable ways with real world applications. 

“The purpose of service learning is to help students see that nothing is in a vacuum, that everything is interconnected, and that what they’re doing in the classroom is powerful,” said LeeAnne Lavender, Service Learning Coach at Concordia and co-founder of Shanghai Service and Sustainability Network. “If they have the eyes to see how they can take what they're learning and match it to those needs that they see around them.”

When service learning is applied in the classroom and student creativity is allowed to take flight, your children are able to participate in exciting and engaging projects that will help make their community a better place, from recycling initiatives, to food waste prevention, to sustainable food options and beyond.

Not only will Concordia help your children become thoughtful leaders, by incorporating spiritual learning into our curriculum your children are able to ask big questions

“Our program is meant to be very open and very much about the students coming to a greater understanding of what questions they have and what they think it means to be a reflective spiritual being,” said Lavender. “It's more of an exploration than it is about any kind of set of answers or frames to put on the world.”

4. Small classroom size means personalized learning

With fewer students in the classroom, our teachers at Concordia Shanghai have the time and resources available to focus on your child’s specific needs. Smaller classroom sizes also helps further our mission to develop our students into insightful learners and “Relationships and individual growth are so important and we do this best with small class sizes,” said Chaveriat. “This also assures the safety of the students.”

Learning in a smaller classroom size also means teachers are better able to monitor socialization between students and ensure all peer interactions foster positive growth, as well as helps alleviate any possible friction between peers. 

5. Exceptional teaching staff

Oftentimes, who is teaching is just as important as what we are teaching.

At Concordia Shanghai, our teaching staff are experienced educators with a passion for teaching, a passion that helps our students excel in a nurturing but also academically challenging environment.

Our teaching staff follow our curriculum guidelines but are encouraged to present the information in constructive and innovative ways that are academically challenging but remain engaging and accessible to our students.

“Concordia Shanghai is the right choice for families that believe that education should be innovative and that the teachers model this through their professional development and teaching practices,” said Chaveriat.  

6. Co-Curricular Activities

While we take great care to ensure your children receive the best education possible inside the classroom, how your children spend their leisure time is just as important, as this valuable time can be filled with fun activities that also further their development. 

Co-curricular activities are an incredible way for your children to make new friends, learn new skills or even take on a new hobby, all while learning essential interpersonal and emotional skills they will carry with them throughout their lives. Some of these skills include patience, persistence, leadership skills, emotional regulation and many more. 

“Concordia’s co-curricular program includes activities, clubs, and sports that run parallel to the curriculum and provide additional exposure to experiential learning within a safe and nurturing environment,” said Summer Yu, Director of Student Activities at Concordia Shanghai.

Having access to 150+ co-curricular programs, your children will have an excess of opportunities, meaning they can find what works best for them, and with the help of college counsellors they can develop themselves into well-rounded college applicants.