Slain Teacher Tweeted Her Students Tips, Jokes and Encouragement
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Courtesy of Ritzer’s family(DANVERS, Mass.) — Slain math teacher Colleen Ritzer sent a steady stream of encouragement, sympathy and jokes to her students, keeping in constant touch with them through Twitter and her class website.
Ritzer, 24, was allegedly stabbed to death by one of her students at Danvers High School in Massachusetts. She left behind a trail of tweets that were marked by an infectious enthusiasm.
By keeping her personal Twitter account on her class website, students could reach her whenever needed.
Along with homework assignments, Ritzer sent out good luck messages and the occasional math joke to ease the inevitable algebra pain. Before tests, she sent out good luck tweets.
“Everyone that knew and loved Colleen knew of her passion for teaching and how she mentored each and every one of her students,” the family said in a statement released Wednesday.
Below are some of the ways Ritzer used social media to reach the students she cared so much about:
Ritzer made sure to wish students luck on their exams.
Good luck to sophs/juniors on PSATs tomorrow 🙂 I hope there’s a proof on there…that would be so much more fun!
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) October 16, 2013
And made sure to let them know how proud she was of them.
@bdoogs37 Stop by anytime! Great job!! 🙂
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) September 20, 2013
Ritzer found ways to fit math into the holiday season.
I need to do this 🙂 pic.twitter.com/0q7oMrvkEj
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) September 30, 2013
And she sympathized with the long hours both she and her students spent awake crunching numbers.
You know this is true! #yaymath pic.twitter.com/V3f71w4JFC
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) July 25, 2013
Ritzer tossed out math jokes, sure to get a few sympathetic laughs.
Yay math! pic.twitter.com/2FOBcE5hWH
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) October 17, 2013
And encouraged her students to join in her nerdy math love.
🙂 pic.twitter.com/0R88AIkP2n
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) May 22, 2013
Ritzer was “Boston Strong” and on April 15, sent her thoughts and prayers to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing.
This world is a crazy place. Love who you love and live every day. Thoughts and prayers to those affected at the Boston Marathon.
— Colleen Ritzer (@msritzermath) April 15, 2013
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