Slain Teacher Colleen Ritzer Tweeted Her Students Tips, Jokes and Encouragement

Oct. 23, 2013— -- 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 today.

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.

And made sure to let them know how proud she was of them.

Ritzer found ways to fit math into the holiday season.

And she sympathized with the long hours both she and her students spent awake crunching numbers.

Ritzer tossed out math jokes, sure to get a few sympathetic laughs.

And encouraged her students to join in her nerdy math love.

Ritzer was "Boston Strong" and on April 15, sent her thoughts and prayer to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing.

Ritzer seems to have left behind an encouraging message to the students devastated by her death. She posted this note on May 23: