Dr. Terance Shipman is a 28-year veteran teacher. He spent much of his teaching career working with elementary aged students. In fact, he spent his first 11 years teaching kindergarten! He is proud to say that he built strong relationships over those years and has an incredible network of his students and their parents and co-workers that he has remained in contact with over these years. Dr. Shipman calls this ever-developing network “Team Shipman”. Through Team Shipman, Dr. Shipman offers continual encouragement, leadership, and mentorship to his students, their families, and his professional peers. Dr. Shipman currently teaches middle school and extends membership to Team Shipman to his current students and their families, as well.

Mr. Shipman’s Kindergarten Chronicles are the stories of teaching kindergarten that make Dr. Shipman smile the most when he thinks about his years teaching kindergarten. Each book in the series celebrates the male teacher, in particular the black male teacher. Acknowledging the under-representation of black men in education, Mr. Shipman presents a positive and strong black male image that children need. Through his first series of books, Dr. Shipman’s Kindergarten Chronicles, Dr. Shipman hopes to make kindergarten an exciting and anticipated adventure for students, parents, and teachers, while casting an even wider net for Team Shipman.

Dr. Shipman received his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the Tuskegee University in 1992. After obtain this degree, he attended Hampton University in Virginia and obtain a Master’s degree in Elementary Education in 1994. For the next 13 years, Dr. Shipman was an elementary teacher in Atlanta Public School System. Most of his time at APS was spent as a kindergarten teacher, and in 2009 he earned his Educational Specialist degree from University of West Georgia in Administration Supervision and soon after he complete his doctoral degree at Clark Atlanta University in 2013. Since completing his final degree, Dr. Shipman has worked with middle school and high school aged students. And through it all Team Shipman is still growing!

Where are you from?

I was born in Lubbock, Texas, but have been in Atlanta, Georgia for over 49 years.
• Why do you write?

I love putting my thoughts on paper and making them come alive.
• What do you write about?

I mostly write children stories. I have written poetry and blog post and a dissertation. also.
• Do you have a specific writing style?

I have all these thoughts in my head, and they get to a point I just have to get them out. I write an outline first, then just sit and write until I can’t write anymore.
• What are obstacles that come in the way of writing?

I have no obstacles. I just do it.
• What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?

A child read the book and said he wish I was his teacher.
• How long have you been writing?

I have in some form of fashion have always written something. The children’s books started five years ago.
• When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?

I had this drive to get these stories out of head. I wanted to share them with the world.
• What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I think about the story sometimes for several weeks or months. I write the outline and usually the next day or two I write the story.
• What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I just write the first draft without worry about structure. I have to put it on paper.
• How long does it take to write a book?

From the beginning to the end, it can take a little as 6 months to sometimes a year. That is with it being written and published.
• Do you have suggestions on how to become a better writer?

I tell people all the time stop thinking about it so much and just write. Don’t worry about the end result focus on getting it done. Let your writing be about you.
• What challenges do you come across when writing/creating your story?

The biggest challenge so far has been keeping it short. I have to remind myself of the age group I’m writing for.
• What do you think makes a good story?

I think a good story has to touch the human side of us all.
• What does your family think of your writing?

They love it. They all are great writers also.
• Do you see writing as a career?

Yes, I plan on writing full time soon.
• Do you have anything specific you’d like to tell the readers?

Support independent writers. Buy from their websites, go to their book signing and leave reviews.
• When did you first consider yourself a writer? I consider it when so many of my former students and parents kept talking about their experiences in my class.