My tip to others is to make sure you really want to do it. I always ask people do they just want to publish a book, or do you want to get into the publishing business?
Tell us about yourself and what you do
I am 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! I received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the Tuskegee University in 1992. After obtaining this degree, I attended Hampton University in Virginia and obtain a Master’s degree in Elementary Education in 1994. For the next 13 years, I was an elementary teacher in Atlanta Public School System. Most of his time at APS was spent as a kindergarten teacher, and in 2009 I earned his Educational Specialist degree from University of West Georgia in Administration Supervision and soon after I complete my doctoral degree at Clark Atlanta University in 2013. Since completing my final degree, has worked with middle school and high school aged students. I am now teaching elementary again. I’m a husband to the beautiful Prudence Shipman, father of five wonderful children one daughter and four sons. I also have a handsome grandson.
Mr. Shipman’s Kindergarten Chronicles are the stories of teaching kindergarten that make me smile the most when I think about my years teaching kindergarten. Each book in the series celebrates the male teacher. Acknowledging the under-representation of men in education, Mr. Shipman presents a positive and strong black male image that children need. Through my first series of books, Kindergarten Chronicles, I hope to make kindergarten an exciting and anticipated adventure for students, parents, and teachers, while casting an even wider net for Team Shipman.
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
My inspiration in my life have come from my parents, other family members and teacher. My parents taught me to be the man that I am. I watched, listen and still learn from their examples. I look at the strength of so many of my family members have had over their lifetimes. I drew from their strength many times when I felt defeated. I got up and kept moving. I knew that they had done it and so I knew that I could too. There have been few teachers that inspired me to develop and push myself to greatness. Certain teachers motivate you to be greater than you were yesterday. They also made me have that drive to serve others through whatever I choice to be in life.
What is your greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement so far is to be able to serve God. Through serving God I have had a huge impact on so many lives. I still keep in contact from students and parents from the beginning of my teaching career. We have a Facebook group called Team Shipman which consist of over 350 members. Being able to have an impact in and out the classroom on their lives is my greatest achievement.
Do you have any tips for our readers that are trying to break in the industry?
My tip to others is to make sure you really want to do it. I always ask people do they just want to publish a book, or do you want to get into the publishing business? It has become fairly easy to write and publish a book. You can write it and hire a lot of people to do whatever you want done. If you decide you want to publish multiple books and make it your business, you have to put in the hard work. There are going to be times when you don’t sale a book for days and sometimes weeks. Don’t give up on your dream. Keep learning, writing and praying. Things will turn around, but you have to put the work in to keep your dream alive.
