Course Syllabus

International Politics After the Cold War 2026-2027

Mr. Michael Reidy
Email: reidym@wellesleyps.org
Phone: 781-446-6290 x4631
Office Hours: Monday 2:35-3:10 (rm 325), Day 3 and Day 7 8:00-8:25 (rm316)

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

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 2:35-3:10 (room 325)
• drop-in office hours Day 3 or Day 7 8:00-8:25 (room 318)
• by appointment
• in the Social Studies Resource Center (with different teachers)  

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

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

As with other courses in the Social Studies Department, assessments are classified as Majors or Minors. Read on for their weights, types, and timing.

• Majors count for 50% of the term grade. Tests, projects, and debates are typical types of Majors. Expect 2 or 3 Majors each term, with varied timing within a cycle.
• Minors count for 50% of the term grade. Cycle quizzes and occasional reading checks on nightly assignments are typical types of Minors. Expect 4 or 5 Minors each term. Cycle quizzes - generally a small number of objective or short response questions - occur on Day 3. Each cycle quiz will primarily focus on the most recent material; one small part of will require some type of synthesis of previously learned material with the most recent. Reading checks, which aggregate into a single Minor, may occur on the day an outside reading is due. 
• There is no final exam for this semester-long course; the overall course grade will be calculated by averaging the Q1 and Q2 grades equally.

Q1 and Q2 each count for 50% of the overall course grade. While there are cumulative assessments within the course, there is NO distinct final exam for the course.

Lastly, there are limited opportunities for credit recovery in the course. When or where they emerge in the course, it's likely that what's submitted for credit recovery will vary from scholar to scholar in the class. An addition, redo, revision, or completion of an altogether different task are possibilities, and will always involve a conference of some sort to determine the most appropriate inclusions for the targeted improvement. So, keep track of concepts and skills that remain more challenging to you, as on-going reflection will be useful should credit recovery be pursued.

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 318 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! Whenever possible, you will make decisions about what to learn, design learning processes, and create products 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 tasks and products.

There may also be times where alternative strategies need to be tried in order to help you succeed. District accommodations (DCAP) are available to all students, and in the 26-27 school year, WHS is committed to moving this forward with fidelity. While some accommodations can be offered in the moment, others require advanced notice.

For example: Extended time on an in-class assessment is a collaborative decision made by the teacher, student, and family to meet individual student needs.  The WHS guideline is up to 25% extra time.  This accommodation relies on proactive student communication prior to the date of the assessment.  The student and teacher must establish how the accommodation will be provided.

So, let's roll! A shared experience and more complicated understanding of your world awaits.