Research shows that personal connections and interests are vital to the resilience of at-risk children (Polakow, 1993). We know that attachments in early childhood, especially between birth and age three, matter a great deal. Even in the face of incredible hardship, parents or other mentors can successfully ease these troubles. Teachers can have an important impact on students who are at key points in their development--ages 4-7 and the transition to adulthood--by helping them to develop resilience and break out of negative patterns of interaction (Masten, 2009). Positive interactions with teachers will aid students of all kinds, especially those who struggle with difficult life experiences. This article details three practical strategies that teachers can employ to increase the resiliency of students: (1) Build strong relationships with students and (when feasible) families; (2) Harness the power of narrative; and (3) Use problem-based models of instruction.