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Seasonal Training Schedule

Purpose: Deliver all 12 training sessions across 3 seasonal blocks, avoiding planting and harvest periods.

Date: 2026-01-30

Source: Learner profile seasonal availability data (curriculum/learner-profile.md)

Calendar Overview

2026
Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
████ ████ ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓ ░░░░ ░░░░ ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓ ░░░░ ░░░░ ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓
PREP PREP BLK1 BLK1 PLANT PLANT BLK2 BLK2 HARV HARV BLK3 BLK3

████ = Preparation / Development
▓▓▓▓ = Training Delivery
░░░░ = Blackout Period (no sessions)

Blackout Periods

Period Months Reason Duration
Planting Season May–June Peak field work; planting, cultivation, early crop management 8–9 weeks
Harvest Season September–October Peak harvest, post-harvest processing, market delivery 8–9 weeks

These blackout periods are based on temperate-zone U.S. farming calendars. Adjust for local growing conditions and crop types.

Training Blocks

Block 1: Foundation (March–April)

Sessions: 1–4 Cadence: Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) Window: March 7 – April 18, 2026

Week Date Session Topic
1 Mar 7 Session 1 Introduction to GitHub & Repositories
3 Mar 21 Session 2 GitHub Issues for Task Tracking
5 Apr 4 Session 3 GitHub Projects for Planning
7 Apr 18 Session 4 Collaboration & Pull Requests

Block 1 Goal: Learners can navigate GitHub, create and manage Issues, use Project boards, and collaborate via Pull Requests.

Notes:

  • Start in early March before planting prep intensifies
  • Bi-weekly cadence gives learners time to practice between sessions
  • By mid-April, learners have 4 sessions of foundational skills before the planting break

Planting Season Break (May 1 – June 30)

Duration: ~9 weeks No formal sessions during this period.

Bridge Activities:

Activity Timing Format Purpose
"GitHub Refresher" one-pager Distributed May 1 Print + digital Quick-reference for Sessions 1–4 skills
Optional GitHub Discussion prompt Posted bi-weekly Asynchronous Keep learners engaged without time commitment
"Try This" micro-challenge Posted monthly Text/email One small GitHub task per month (e.g., "Create an Issue for one farm task this week")

Discussion Prompts (examples):

  • "What farm task did you use GitHub for this month?"
  • "Share a photo of something on your farm you'd track with an Issue"
  • "What's one thing you want to learn in Block 2?"

Block 2: Intermediate Skills (July–August)

Sessions: Recap + 5–8 Cadence: Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) Window: July 4 – August 29, 2026

Week Date Session Topic
1 Jul 4* Recap 30-min review of Sessions 1–4
1 Jul 4* Session 5 Notifications & Team Communication
3 Jul 18 Session 6 Basic Workflows & Templates
5 Aug 1 Session 7 Introduction to GitHub Actions
7 Aug 15 Session 8 Automating Farm Tasks

*Recap session (30 min) delivered immediately before Session 5 on the same day.

Block 2 Goal: Learners can manage notifications, create templates, understand GitHub Actions, and set up simple automated workflows.

Notes:

  • Recap session rebuilds confidence and muscle memory after 9-week gap
  • July start avoids most mid-season field work (varies by region)
  • If July 4 conflicts with holiday, shift to July 11
  • Sessions 7–8 introduce automation — the most technically challenging content so far

Harvest Season Break (September 1 – October 31)

Duration: ~9 weeks No formal sessions during this period.

Bridge Activities:

Activity Timing Format Purpose
"GitHub Refresher" one-pager (updated) Distributed Sep 1 Print + digital Quick-reference for Sessions 1–8 skills
Optional Discussion prompt Posted bi-weekly Asynchronous Maintain community engagement
"Harvest Report" challenge Posted Oct 1 Asynchronous "Create a GitHub Issue documenting one thing from harvest season"
Train-the-trainer scouting Ongoing Instructor observation Note high-performing learners for potential train-the-trainer

Block 3: Advanced & Capstone (November–December)

Sessions: Recap + 9–12 Cadence: Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks), with Sessions 11–12 potentially weekly Window: November 7 – December 19, 2026

Week Date Session Topic
1 Nov 7 Recap 30-min review of Sessions 5–8
1 Nov 7 Session 9 Advanced Projects & Roadmaps
3 Nov 21 Session 10 GitHub Copilot Basics
5 Dec 5 Session 11 GitHub Spark & Agents
6 Dec 12 Session 12 Capstone Project & Train-the-Trainer

Block 3 Goal: Learners master advanced features, complete a capstone project, and top performers are identified for train-the-trainer.

Notes:

  • November start gives farmers time to finish post-harvest work
  • Sessions 11–12 are scheduled weekly (1 week apart) to maintain momentum for capstone
  • Session 12 is the capstone — allocate extra time if possible (3 hours instead of 2.5)
  • December 19 completion allows holiday break before any follow-up activities

Recap Session Design

Recap sessions are 30 minutes, delivered at the start of Blocks 2 and 3.

Structure

Time Activity
0:00 (5 min) Welcome back; acknowledge the gap; celebrate returning
0:05 (10 min) Quick review: key concepts from previous block (3–5 slides)
0:15 (10 min) Hands-on refresher: "Show me how to [skill]" spot-checks
0:25 (5 min) Q&A: "What did you try during the break? What questions do you have?"

Key Principles

  • Normalize forgetting: "It's been 9 weeks — of course things feel rusty. That's completely normal."
  • Rebuild confidence: Start with the easiest skill from the previous block
  • Don't re-teach: Review, don't re-deliver. If learners need more, address 1-on-1 during break
  • Celebrate returning: "The fact that you're here after [planting/harvest] season shows commitment"

Full Year Timeline

Week  1-4   5-8   9-12  13-16  17-20  21-24  25-28  29-32  33-36  37-40  41-44  45-48  49-52
      Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr    May    Jun    Jul    Aug    Sep    Oct    Nov    Dec
      ┌───────────┬─────────────────┬────────────────┬─────────────────┬────────────────┬──────────────────┐
      │   PREP    │   BLOCK 1       │   PLANTING     │   BLOCK 2       │   HARVEST      │   BLOCK 3        │
      │ Dev/Plan  │ S1  S2  S3  S4  │   BREAK        │ RC S5 S6 S7 S8  │   BREAK        │ RC S9 S10 S11 S12│
      └───────────┴─────────────────┴────────────────┴─────────────────┴────────────────┴──────────────────┘

Scheduling Flexibility

Scenario Adjustment
Late spring (cold region) Shift Block 1 to Feb–Mar; extend planting break
Early harvest (southern region) End Block 2 by mid-August; start Block 3 in late October
Weather emergency Cancel session; reschedule within 1 week; extend block by 1 week
Low attendance (<50%) Reschedule session rather than delivering to partial group
Learner requests weekend Offer Saturday morning option if majority prefers
Holiday conflict Shift session by 1 week; maintain bi-weekly cadence

Session Day Logistics

Recommended: Saturday mornings (9:00 AM – 11:30 AM)

  • Avoids weekday farm work
  • Morning hours when energy is highest
  • 2.5-hour window fits 150-minute session with arrival/departure buffer

Alternative: Weekday evenings (6:00 PM – 8:30 PM) during winter months (Block 3)

Venue Requirements:

  • Reliable Wi-Fi (test with 25+ simultaneous devices)
  • Power outlets for all learners
  • Projector/screen visible from all seats
  • Tables arranged for pair work
  • Accessible entrance, seating, and restrooms

This schedule should be validated with the actual cohort's availability. Distribute the pre-training survey (see learner-profile.md, Section 9) to confirm blackout periods and preferred session days/times.