Steve Piscitelli

To order Stories about Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island go to either Amazon ( for print and Kindle versions), Barnes and Noble, or Books-a-Million.

You can view the supplemental videos I created for your use (FREE!) on the YouTube playlist.

During more than three decades as a teacher and workshop facilitator, Steve Piscitelli noticed that many educators can become isolated from their colleagues and their larger institutional culture. They become “islands” disconnected from the potential power of the teaching and learning community. That isolation can affect teaching efficacy and resilience.

I wrote this book to encourage educators to embrace the power of collaboration. He outlines (and brings to life) the “7Rs” for success: relationships, relevance, resources, rainbows, responsibility, reflection, and resilience. I created thirty-seven scenarios, based on real-life/real campus/real collegial issues. Each scenario shows how to apply these seven themes to better adapt to the professional and personal challenges educators face.

The scenarios raise questions about the classroom, work-life integration, collaboration with coworkers, and interpersonal relationships with supervisors. Every teaching and learning situation—everyone—gives us the opportunity to take stock of and strengthen our own resilience level. And we do not have to do it alone. That is the beauty of our calling! And that is the strength of this book. It recognizes the power of a collegial teaching and learning community.

I supplement the information and scenarios with links to brief thought-provoking videos (approximately sixty seconds each) that encapsulate major themes and discussion points. You will find the videos below AND can also find them on the YouTube playlist.


Video Playlist 

Below you will find short videos introducing each part of the book. I wrote and produced each video with the intent of providing context and provocative questions to serve as conversation starters.  And each video allows the book readers to put a face, name, and voice together when it comes to the author of their book. That is one way to build relationships. Simply click on the video link and enjoy these complementary videos.


arrow   Welcome Message From Steve


arrow  Table of Contents


arrow  Preface


arrow  Introduction


arrow  Scenario #1: What Is Your Story?


arrow  Scenario #2: I Am, Therefore I Profess!


arrow  Scenario #3: What Do You Want To Talk About?


arrow  Scenario #4: The First Day Of Class


arrow   Scenario #5: They Just Copied And Pasted


arrow   Scenario #6: I Don't Want To Burn Out


arrow   Scenario #7: Nothing Will Stand In My Way!


arrow   Scenario #8: Classroom Crises


arrow   Scenario #9: I Don't Have Time For Games And Complaints


arrow   Scenario #10: I Got An "A" Last Semester!


arrow   Scenario #11: Grading Fairly And With Effective Feedback


arrow   Scenario #12: The Case For Mentoring First-Year Faculty


arrow   Scenario #13: Encouraging and Challenging All Students With Instructional Strategies


arrow   Scenario #14: Boundaries And Limits


arrow   Scenario #15: Student Attendance


arrow   Scenario #16: Student Phones, Tablets, And Laptops


arrow   Scenario #17: Textbooks


arrow   Scenario #18: Committee Work


arrow   Scenario #19: Conference Attendance And Participation


arrow   Scenario #20: Institutional Climate And Culture


arrow   Scenario #21: Office Hours And Appropriate Office Professionalism


arrow   Scenario #22: Collegial Collisions--Building Bridges For Collaboration


arrow   Scenario #23: Differing Perceptions On Teaching Efficacy


arrow   Scenario #24: Empathic Engagement With Students


arrow   Scenario #25: No Cell Phones During Our Meetings


arrow   Scenario #26: Recovering From A "Bad" Class Session


arrow   Scenario #27: Trigger Warnings


arrow   Scenario #28: Appropriate Accommodations


arrow   Scenario #29: Do Faculty Understand The Role Of Administrators


arrow   Scenario #30: Syllabus Expectations And Disconnections


arrow   Scenario #31: Your Most Meaningful Career Accomplishment


arrow   Scenario #32: Connecting With The Dean


arrow   Scenario #33: Know When To Say "No!"


arrow   Scenario #34: Let Me Show You How It's Done


arrow   Scenario #35: OMG, Indeed!


arrow   Scenario #36: Everyone Gets A Trophy!


arrow   Scenario #37: Now It's Your Turn


arrow   Gratitude!


arrow  Video Outtakes!