Matthew Morris ’25 is well on his way in preparing to teach high school science. While he credits his Texas A&M University classes for creating a strong foundation, the College of Arts & Sciences biology major also listens to aggieTEACH Arts & Sciences’ Momentum podcast to pick up timely insights on some of the finer points of teaching.
The aggieTEACH Momentum podcast is the brainchild of aggieTEACH Arts & Sciences Program Manager Kenric Davies ’10. “When I was thinking about doing this podcast, I did a search and didn't see anything that was specific to the needs of preservice teachers,” said the aggieTEACH alumni and former high school physics teacher. “Of course, teaching is teaching, but preservice teachers are not as knowledgeable, so they need things explained in a way that is going to impress upon them the importance of an area in their future career.”
First launched in 2025, the Momentum podcast, now in its third season, is available on most major podcasting platforms. With each episode averaging 30 minutes, the podcast is catching on and now has more than 1,100 views. “It's even connected with people who live outside of Texas,” Davies said. “I have listeners in Mississippi and Florida and individuals from other teacher preparation programs, which is kind of cool.”
Listening & Learning
The podcast’s content is based on Davies’ and aggieTEACH Program Coordinator Kolby Richardson’s secondary classroom experiences as well as feedback from aggieTEACH Arts & Sciences’ current and former students. Each episode delves into timely topics that new teachers face, such as classroom management, classroom efficiency, teacher burnout, special education, gamification and school safety.
The podcast features interviews with guests from across the educational spectrum who share different perspectives that are helpful to listeners. “I think that the Momentum podcast does a really great job covering the topics that are a big part of teaching but are not necessarily part of the curriculum,” said Navasota Independent School District Principal Elizabeth Stanley ’16, an aggieTEACH former student who was a podcast guest. “For example, I discussed T-TESS, which is the teacher appraisal process in Texas. It was covered briefly in the curriculum in college but was a huge part of my experience as a teacher. By bridging the gaps and covering these topics, aspiring teachers are more likely to be successful in their first year of teaching.”
The podcast also addresses important areas outside of the classroom. For example, Davies invited College of Arts & Sciences Associate Director for Career Services Barclay Osborne on the podcast to discuss the finer points of interviewing during the job search. That episode also led the pair to present on the use of podcasts for recruitment, mentorship and retention at the Texas Conference on Student Success. “Being on the podcast was such a wonderful experience, and Kenric was so prepared and made the experience such a fun and engaging event,” Osborne said. “We discussed the importance of using the interview to find out about the culture of the school and department to make sure it will be a good fit so new teachers can start off on the right foot in a teaching position.”
The Momentum podcast also addressed the serious issue of teacher burnout, which often arises for new teachers and also is a key factor in Texas’ ongoing teacher shortage. The highly popular podcast episode featured Charles Butt Foundation’s Senior Program Director of Data Insights Kurt Lockhart and Director of Raising Blended Learners Christine Lowak.
Already looking ahead to the podcast’s next season, Davies is developing episodes on a new slate of topics: clinical teaching; the difference between skills and content; high quality instructional materials; digital learning; and the responsibilities of school boards.
Tuning In
Aggie preservice teachers who have listened to the podcast appreciate this approach. “It’s exposing me to an environment that I’m not aware of,” said Morris, who grew up in Hallsville, Texas. “Even when I listen to the podcast passively, I hear something I don't know and learn what it means.”
Morris is especially appreciative for the Momentum podcast about preparing for teacher certification exams. “They brought on some of my friends who talked about their experience, how to prepare, and what to be worried about,” he said. “I'll be taking my pedagogy exam within the month so I may actually rewatch the podcast.”
The aspiring teacher also continues to think about a recent Momentum episode devoted to the use of inquiry in science classes. “There’s a right way as well as a wrong way to teach science. The trick is being able to actually reach the person you’re trying to teach, because it’s so incredibly easy to just say ‘science’ and hope that a student picks up on it,” Morris said. “If you can inspire someone to use inquiry, they can become learners of science as well as lifelong learners, which is the ultimate goal.”
This type of support is exactly what aggieTEACH Arts & Sciences strives to provide to current and former students who are entering the teaching profession. “Joining the AggieTEACH program was one of the best choices that I have ever made. I would not be where I am without it,” Stanley said. “I am excited to see the program continue to grow and am happy that the leadership is looking for ways to connect alumni to current students in order to share knowledge and experience.”