The Shanghai American School (SAS) was organized in order to develop students with a positive attitude toward education, which in terms will encourage lifelong learning, healthy lifestyle, and appreciation of esthetics. Others objectives are that students will build mastery skill of communicating and learning. These students are instilled with the responsibility to think clearly, logically, and independently as members of a self-governing society.
These educational objectives are reinforced by strong teaching objectives and even more effective curriculum guideline.

Teaching Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the best possible education for each student by encouraging and requiring creative and critical thought stressing maximum involvement of the student in discovery, inquiry and problem solving.

2. In order to enhance the probability of success, the teacher will keep the student and parents informed of the student's progress.

3. Within established curriculum, the teacher will provide appropriate alternatives to accommodate individual differences in achieving academic excellence and educational objectives.

4. The teacher will teach the structure and content in a positive environment that is conducive to learning.
Curricular Objectives

The curriculum will:

1. Reflect a coherent and orderly progression of objectives from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

2. Be designed to develop in the students a broad understanding of different cultures.

3. Be integrated across subject areas to promote holistic learning.

4. Permit students to enter Shanghai American School and subsequent schools with minimum academic disruption.

5. Provide maximum growth for individual students and be designed to emphasize problem solving, inquiry, discovery, self-direction, as well as creative and critical thinking.

6. Within limits of available resources try to accommodate students with varying learning and language ability.

7. Be reviewed regularly in the light of new developments in education and the needs of the international community.