Concordia Chronicle

College application season can be a daunting period for high school seniors. So, it never hurts to get advice from those who have gone through the experience and lived to tell the tale. For this week’s Applying to College post, we caught up with a few of our Concordia Class of 2020 graduates to get their take on the college application process and find out what their campus life has been like so far. Read More

As a result of the COVID pandemic, high school seniors are facing an unprecedented college application season. The landscape of universities around the world has changed, as well as the plans of many high school graduates and their families. Well laid plans of two years ago have perhaps been thrown into question in light of current circumstances, leaving families to ask themselves where their students should apply to university? Is it safe? What... Read More

Applying to college is typically on the mind of most students as soon as they enter high school (and for their parents it's likely much, much earlier). For many the anticipation of the college application process incites a fair amount of uncertainty. Therefore, we have enlisted the help of Patrick Love, one of our seasoned high school counselors to answer some commonly asked questions in the hopes that we might smooth the path on our students'... Read More

As educators, we strive to foster the love of reading and writing with the students in the classroom and to instill in each one a desire to become confident readers and writers. However, we also believe that parents play a vital role in providing students with daily literary interactions that cannot be provided in the classroom setting. Read More

What exactly makes a good story? Is it the sincerity of the prose? The memorable characters facing incredible circumstances? Or a beguiling beginning and a heart-felt ending? In the case of Meet Lana, a story by Concordia alumna Kelly Wu, the answer is all of the above. In this recently published book, Kelly (Class of 20) tells Lana’s life-changing story of love, strength and compassion. And here’s the twist: Lana’s story has the potential to... Read More

When it comes to American vs Chinese curriculums, the approaches to learning are vastly different. Read More

According to the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association, 85 percent of brain development occurs by the time a child reaches 3 years. As children grow, they need to learn specific activities that are important for development. For example, very young children begin to scoot and crawl for movement and while these activities are part of eventually learning to walk, they are also essential for brain development. Additionally, patterned... Read More

While most Chinese parents are familiar with the standards found in a traditional Chinese school, the culture found in an American classroom can seem wildly different. Understanding this difference is key when it comes to deciding which international school is most beneficial for your children. Read More

Living in Shanghai, you may be familiar with the Chinese educational style. A Chinese school is vastly different from what a parent might see in American schools, and while both offer advantages and disadvantages, the latter is designed to benefit students looking to study post-secondary in the U.S. Read More

A comparison of Chinese and American education systems is an excellent way to gain a better understanding of each one while also helping you to identify which one will help your child get into an American university. While there are a number of similarities between Chinese and American education, they are different in many relevant ways. One offers the knowledge of accumulation, is strict, and focused on building an educational foundation. The... Read More

At Concordia, we offer a plethora of opportunities to engage in the community and a variety of resources to support and facilitate your transition. These include parent coffees, events and talks held by our Parent Support Organization, Tuesday Tips offered by the EC office, welcome lunches for our new Kindergarten students, and regular counselor visits to the various classes. Our EC counselor partners closely with the class teacher to support... Read More

When entering a new environment, be it a new country, a new neighborhood, or a new school, we may find it to be an overwhelming and uncertain transition period. Understanding the feelings and emotional consequences that may arise can help strengthen your ability to respond intentionally to your own needs and your child’s needs and interests as you enter and engage in a new school community. Read More

With all the benefits reading provides to children—helping develop intellect and communication skills, augmenting academic performance, and stirring imagination—it’s no wonder parents and educators alike look to encourage a love of reading in their children.  Read More

Enjoy the journey. This is a phrase that I like to tell my students, meaning the learning process is just as enjoyable as the learning outcome. One of the most effective learning habits that yields academic results is focusing on the process instead of the product. Instead of just focusing on completing the paper, the project, or the exam, we encourage students to enjoy learning for learning’s sake. We work on developing students who are curious... Read More

The start of a new school year brings with it a range of feelings. Whether it is a parent dropping off their child for the first day of preschool, a former middle schooler entering high school as a freshmen, or a teacher eager to engage a new class of students in the learning process, emotions run the gamut from anxiety to excitement. This year, school communities are faced with many changes and new challenges brought about by a global pandemic,... Read More

There is a long-standing tradition of student, faculty and parent-led service and charity projects at Concordia International School Shanghai. In fact, service is a fundamental part of our school’s ethos, compelling us to support many types and levels of service both across the school and in our community. Read More

Choosing between taking the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses can be a difficult decision for many families. For the amount of time and effort your children will be required to invest in them, you want to make sure they achieve the end result they desire by gaining admission to their best-fit university. Read More

The Learner Profile of an AP Student Advanced Placements (AP) classes do more for students than just challenge them academically. Read More