Mrs. Schraa’s Math

My dear Schraa students,

On the last day of school, I keep thinking about dandelions.

Right now, we’re all still together; one little flower circle before the wind comes. Before the seeds scatter into different classes, schools, sports, jobs, dreams, and futures. And even though dandelions get called weeds sometimes, they’re actually strong, resilient, impossible to stop, and capable of growing anywhere. Kind of like you all.

Soon the wind will carry each of you somewhere new. My 8th graders are heading to high school Geometry next year already taking advanced math and lowkey sigma flexing on the entire freshman class. My 6th graders basically speedran two grades of math because apparently learning 6th AND half of 7th grade math wasn’t enough. Truly giving “6/7 ate” energy.

This year was chaotic in the best way.

We survived Delta Math quizzes.
We battled the orange workbooks.
We learned that “show your work” was not optional, even when some oh you acted personally victimized by SWAT because no teacher before Mrs. Rizz held you to those standards. But look at you now; explaining your thinking, defending answers, working vertical at the boards in Building Thinking Classrooms, and becoming real mathematicians instead of just guessing and praying in the group chat five minutes before class.

You endured seven minutes of silence every day (which honestly felt like seven business years to some of you). You earned tickets, prizes, stickers, math tattoos, glow sticks, sunglasses, and superballs. You drew all over the whiteboards. You made stained glass art, compass art, Fibonacci spirals, and Pythagorean spirals. We had Halloween parties, Christmas parties, dance
lparties, Trashketball championships, Math Olympics, and the legendary Slay the Test Spotify playlist.

There were selfie station moments with the iPad.
Buddy checks.
Stuffed animals for emotional support.
Gratitude jars.
100% Club celebrations.
Letters to your future selves.
Awards ceremonies.
The 8th grade luncheon.
STAAR testing.
MAP testing.
TSIA-2 testing.

And HUGE congrats to the 23 of you who are already college math ready. That is actually giga-brain, academic weapon, locked-in behavior.

And of course… the eagle cam.
Somehow, watching Jackie and Shadow and the eaglets became part of our classroom lore. We watched those baby eagles grow up right alongside us this year. At first they stayed safe in the nest, dependent on others, unsure and wobbly. Then slowly they got stronger, braver, and more independent until one day it was finally time for them to fly.
And honestly? That’s you guys too.
You came into this classroom still figuring yourselves out, and now you’re leaving stronger, smarter, more confident, and ready for what’s next. Just like the eaglets, it’s time for you to spread your wings and fly.

Somehow, between the silliness and structure, we built a classroom family.

I know I pushed you hard sometimes. I expected a lot from you because I saw how capable you are. I wanted math class to be a place where you could think deeply, laugh loudly, fail safely, grow confidently, and realize your brain can always level up with effort, practice, and perseverance. Growth mindset wasn’t just a video we made — you lived it all year long.

And honestly? The character development this year was elite.

I watched you bounce back after hard tests.
I watched you help each other at the boards.
I watched you become more confident, more mature, and more brave.
I watched you go from “wait… we actually have to show work?” to full-on math scholars.

Big sigma energy.

And I hope you remember all of it.

I hope you remember me saying “I love you” as you walked out the door.
- “llama your mama when your work isn’t done.”
-mistakes are not cringe; they’re literally proof your brain is growing.
-bouncing back matters more than perfection.
-stay locked in, keep glowing, and keep growing.

Most importantly, I hope you remember that you mattered here.

Being your teacher has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life. You will always be one of my Schraa students, no matter how old you get or where life takes you. Please keep in touch through email or social media and let me know about your successes, adventures, and dreams coming true.

Don’t forget to remember I love you thank you for keeping your phone away if you do close that tag on Schraa tme.

And don’t forget:
Math is everywhere, and you can learn anything!!

Love always,
Mrs. Rizz

Cs get degrees. 🎓

You don’t have to make a 100 on every test. You don’t even have to make an A or a B to pass. Sometimes, a C is enough.

Think about it: when you visit a doctor, you probably don’t know their GPA. What matters is that they showed up, did the work, graduated, and kept moving forward.

Of course, I encourage my students to strive for excellence and be the very best version of themselves. But I also want them to know this: perfection is not the goal. Progress is.

Some seasons call for pushing harder. Other seasons call for simply keeping going.

If all you can do today is “good enough,” then let good enough be enough. Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep showing up.

Success isn’t about being perfect. It’s about not giving up. ❤️

Pay attention in math class!

Summer math tutoring available 🧮 Pre-Algebra - College Algebra. DM for information ℹ️

Former students, comment with your job title and how you’re using math!

Congrats Michael, 8th grade Algebra 1 award winner. I’m so proud of you and grateful to have you as my student two years in a row. You’re meant for math greatness! Go forth and prosper. Remember me in the future.