Course Syllabus

Mr. Michael Reidy

Email: reidym@wellesleyps.org

Phone: 781-446-6290 x4631

Office Hours: Monday 2:35-3:05 (rm325), Days 1 and 3 8:00-8:30 (rm319)

In this course, you will...

• explore, critique, and apply principles that guide international relations
• examine concrete cases and documents illustrative of changes and trends since the end of the Cold War
• formulate and advocate policy options for state and non-state actors in an informed manner
• improve the quality and independence in your thinking, reading, communication, and collaborative skills.
• demonstrate creativity and ownership in the learning process

As juniors and seniors, you are ready for the academic freedom and responsibilities that this course offers.  Expect to be challenged, and know that when this occurs it is from deep intellectual and emotional respect for you.  I will maintain an environment that supports the open exchange of ideas, growth, and always strive for integrity and fairness in our interactions.  Come to class with an open mind and compassionate heart, and be prepared to speak knowledgeably on what we are learning.  Remember that what we do is important – you can do it – I will help. I look forward to working with you. 

Let’s commit to...

• showing and nurturing curiosity, initiative, reflection, and persistence
• reading and listening with an active intent to understand information and perspective
• asking questions to clarify and deepen understanding
• supporting arguments with sufficient, precise, accurate, relevant, and credible information
• collaborating with your peers and teacher(s)
• treating everyone in the class with respect
• becoming individually and collectively smarter
• taking risks that lead to successes and failures

Grading

What I care about is your growth and meaningful, durable learning in a class that is about your life, your world. The grading system, and learning opportunities within it are designed to reflect this value. Below is a list of the types of assessments you may complete this semester.

• quizzes/tests
• simulations
• projects
• writing exercises
• conferences
• debates and/or discussions

Breakdown/Weights of Assessments: assessments are classified as minors or majors.

• Minors: 3-4 in Q1, weighted 50% of the Q1 grade. Occasional reading checks for nightly assignments will occur, and aggregate into 1 of the 3-4 minors per term.
• Majors: 2 in Q1, weighted 50% of the Q1 grade. 

*Note 1: Assessments are planned for Day 3 in the cycle. I'll provide notice and share reasoning should an established date need to be moved to a later one.

**Note 2: You have the opportunity for credit recovery in early November, within a submitted product for the 'Nations' simulation. What's submitted for credit recovery will vary from scholar to scholar in the class - addition, redo, revision, or completion of an altogether different task - and will always involve a conference of some sort to determine the most appropriate inclusions for the targeted improvement. Keep track of concepts and skills that remain more challenging to you, as on-going reflection will be useful should credit recovery be pursued.

Extra Help/Office Hours/Curiosity Shares

There may be times when you need extra support in this class, or want to further discuss topics. Awesome! I want you to succeed, am here to help, and can encourage your curiosity.

The best ways to meet:

• drop-in office hours Monday 2:35-3:05
• drop-in office hours Day 1 8:00-8:30
• drop-in office hours Day 3 8:00-8:30
• by appointment
• in the Social Studies Lab (with different teachers)  

Also, if emailing quick questions, please keep in mind that teachers and students keep very different hours - my responses to email questions may not happen the same evening given this difference.

Absences and Late Work

When you miss class for any reason, be responsible for obtaining missed handouts, assignments, and notes from the class; the completion of make-up work is in your hands and will be expected when returning to school.  Always start with Canvas, and then work with classmates and/or me. In short, be as prepared as possible when returning to class and proactively communicate to address questions or what may be due. 

There may be times when I am absent. In those circumstances, I plan to direct email you whenever possible. A sign will also be posted at room 319 indicating my absence. And again, always check Canvas to see if there is work to be completed before the next class.

Approach to Learning and Areas of Study

If you inferred an importance on growth mindset, and ownership over your learning in this course, you inferred correctly! When possible in our time together, you get to decide what to learn, design the learning process, and create the product to best match the learning.  When this approach tackles a realistic problem by posing solution(s) intended for real-world audiences, it’s known as Project Based Learning (PBL). Whether we are using PBL explicitly, or using its principles or values more loosely, we will often be working in teams to complete products.