Has anyone taken this content exam in Texas to be a secondary math teacher? I am thinking about working on a teacher certification. The test seems to be fairly challenging and I was wondering if anyone could recommend study materials that they have used to pass the exam. Even if I don't get a teaching job, I think preparing for this exam will help me be a better math tutor as well.

This is from The Bulletin (an English news site in Belgium). Last update: Sunday 19 April. All updates from the past 24 hours are in bold What's the latest? Over the past 24 hours Newly confirmed cases: 1,313 Hospitalised: 265 Left hospital: 489 Deaths: 230 (76 in hospital, 154 in care homes) Totals since outbreak began Known cases: 38,496 In hospital: 4,871 (-198) in intensive care: 1,081 (-38) on a ventilator: 809 (-37) Recoveries: 8,837 (+489) Deaths: 5,683 Belgium's coronavirus measures - including the closure of shops and schools and a requirement to stay at home - have been extended until at least 3 May. Big public events, such as festivals, are cancelled this summer until 31 August. Brussels' Ommegang parade (1-4 July) is among the cancelled events. Costume makers in the workshops will instead spend their time making masks for frontline workers. Tickets already purchased for the 2020 event will remain valid next year. The Meyboom, on 9 August, will go ahead but in a different form, according to Brussels mayor Philippe Close. It'll be the 712th edition of the Unesco-recognised folkloric event, which has not missed a single year through invasions and occupations.

Those Danish kids look so calm and well behaved in the classroom. Even so that six feet apart doesn't seem far enough to me to be effective. As the days go on, I think it would be difficult and stressful to maintain such discipline. My kids went to Belgian primary school and I can tell you that they had to bring their own toilet paper to school and rarely used the bathrooms due to lack of soap or paper towels. Otherwise the school was wonderful and a great experience. I will be watching with great interest if and when Belgium tries to do something similar next month.

Can you explain what you mean about losing your license?

I was wondering the same thing about the nursing home staff. If they are coming and going, the virus is probably going both ways as well. My mom is in a senior living, not nursing home, and she can't go anywhere or see relatives except they will allow her to see people at a distance outside recently. But the staff doesn't live there and she sees them every day. I know they are distancing and she doesn't receive any direct care, but there are still germs around everywhere. They are also making her food and delivering it to her door. I know they are trying their best under difficult circumstances, but this along with many other things about this virus mitigation doesn't make sense.

As expected, Belgium has extended the lockdown until May 3. Garden and hardware type stores are going to be allowed to reopen. No decision was made on schools yet. The odd thing is that they are going to start allowing one visitor per patient into nursing homes if that person has been symptom free for 14 days. I think that's kind of crazy. There's talk of masks being suggested for grocery shopping and public transportation but not yet required.

Macron just extended the lockdown in France until May 11! I suppose Belgium will follow when they make announcement on Wednesday.

Nordic Walking is walking with poles in a motion similar to cross country skiing. You use more muscles in your arms and back so you will burn more calories. I find that I can walk faster and farther with the poles than I can without, plus my knees hurt less afterwards. They are not trekking poles though. Leki sells very nice light weight ones with cork handles and clip on wrist straps. I think it is worth it to get a good brand made of aluminum. There are rubber booties that cover the tips so you can walk on any surface. There is a noise but not as much as bare metal would be on pavement. I took it up a few years ago before I had back surgery and was super glad to already know how to do it for my recovery after surgery because it helped my balance and support for my back. Plus it just feels more sporty than just walking. I used to run but have found this to be almost as good. The calories burned are somewhere between regular walking and jogging. There are videos online that show the technique.

She could add Nordic Walking poles to her usual walking to up the calories burned. It also helps the joints. A heart rate monitor and an app like Polar Flow is very motivating too. You can see your heart rate and how it improves over time. I also have a good recumbent bike in my living room.

Here in Belgium you can only go out to shop for food or medicine at the pharmacy. Essential workers can go to work. They do a lot of curbside pickup at the grocery stores and additional help is being hired from the workforce of nonessential business. I'm not sure how the financial arrangement is worked out exactly between the businesses involved. You have to wait outside the store two meters apart, only one person per family. We can't drive to exercise or visit anyone with the exception of helping someone in need. Basically nothing is open to go to anyway. Garden stores are still open but only for soil and seed type things, not tools. Garden stores also sell pet food and farm animal food. We will hear on Wednesday if any of the restrictions are eased after April 19th.

I make Instant Pot 15-bean soup once a week. I just mix and match whatever dry beans I have on hand. We eat it with cornbread.

I have three sets of IKEA sheets for our bed that I rotate through. The European washer and dryer we have is pretty slow so I wouldn't want to count on getting the same set back on during the same day. Plus after drying there seems to be damp areas so I will hang them up overnight to be sure they are really dry. We used to have only two sets, but then I would stress about what to do when we had a house sitter. Now I know there will always be a clean set available when we get home from a trip to put on the bed. They don't take that much room in the linen closet and they all go together (grey or white).

I don't think we are saving too much. Dh still has to go to work 50% of the time. We still have the university expenses and rents for our girls apartments at school even though they are home. We are paying more for groceries at home, but we would have been paying for their food at school anyway. We haven't gone to a movie, but we've watched plenty on iTunes. So maybe we have saved on a few restaurant meals out but that's it. I'm still buying airline tickets in hopes of someday returning to the US. We didn't spend a long weekend in Rome (I was going to go with dh for business) so I guess there is that savings. I would much preferred to spend that money.

We are still hoping to fly to Texas to visit family this summer (from Brussels). We also have a house we need to start renovations on that is supposed to be our retirement home. It feels good to have a plan even though it might get cancelled like our March trip. I hope that my mom who lives in a senior living center can have visitors by then or maybe we can just wave at her from the street.

I haven't driven my car since March 16th. Since then I've only been on walks and bike rides. My dh has to go to work still but teleworks every other week. He also does the weekly grocery shopping. My dds are home doing online university classes and haven't been anywhere either. All our socializing has been via Skype or Zoom. I'm thankful that it is sunny and when we go for exercise outside it feels uplifting. The first week was hard, but we are getting into a rhythm and have it better than a lot of people so I can't complain about anything. So far we only know of one person that is presumed to have covid.

I thought the Honors Geometry was very good. But I had the student do all the printable worksheets in addition to the online exercises. There is plenty of work and reinforcement. The practice tests are very similar to the actual tests and an appropriate level of challenge. His videos are very entertaining.

Belgian lockdown has been extended from 5 April to 19 April (the end of the Easter holidays). They may extend it again if necessary. No other restrictions have been imposed, just no more warnings before fines for being out. I'm not surprised. I really expected something stricter.

Still doing okay here in lockdown. Grocery stores are still operating but there are restrictions on how many people can go in at a time. The rules about going outside for exercise are still vague and the police are asking for clarification. We expect an announcement tomorrow from the Belgian government that will extend the lockdown period and clarify or further restrict our ability to go outside. The police are asking for a one hour and one kilometer radius from home limit. I guess I might be walking in circles soon. There have been 220 deaths so far out of one 6000 confirmed cases. Anyone coming into the country is supposed to self-quarantine for two weeks. On a 90 minute walk today I only saw one airplane and it was very high so I think it was just passing over. There are very few flights operating out of Brussels.

A couple days ago people were congregating in parks here because it was the first sunny day in a long time and the government did say to get outside and get some sun. Of course the government meant alone, not to go on a picnic! Well, the police are out enforcing now with fines and it's getting pretty empty on the streets. The same pattern seems to be repeating by you. We are just a little ahead.

You can walk as a family closer, yes. In the urban areas police are watching and issuing fines. So they will stop you if they aren't sure and explain the rules. This is what I'm seeing in the news. Someone on our local facebook group was stopped while driving her adult daughter to the doctor because the daughter was sitting in the front passenger seat. She was supposed to be in the back seat. Should be no more than two people in the car but an exception is made for families with children. I imagine it is hard for police to know who is in the car so they stop you if they are unsure. Best to go out alone. We are in a rural area so I haven't seen much enforcement. People are definitely doing things like walking on opposite sides of the street. Lately I also heard sitting around on park benches is not allowed. So basically it is go out your door for a walk, don't sit down anywhere, come directly back inside.

It depends on where you are. We are not supposed to leave the house except for essentials. Camping is not essential. Exercise is supposed to be walking, cycling, or running near your home alone or with one other person with whom you are always at least 1.5 meters apart. I guess if you are in an area which still allows recreation like camping you should probably go and enjoy while you still can. This is going to be a long haul.

Brussels Charleroi airport is closed, but the main airport in Zaventem is still open albeit with greatly reduced flights.

There is a long list of carriers that are no longer operating out of Brussels including Delta. There are Americans already stranded in some countries that State is trying to get back home but they are swamped. I believe they are trying to get more people to stop traveling. It would be hard to get out of Belgium even if we wanted to. They are also not doing any but the most urgent passport applications.

Does that mean your dd is sheltering in place?

Global Level 4 Health Advisory – Do Not Travel Global Health Advisory March 19, 2020 Level 4: Do Not Travel The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel. Many countries are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and implementing travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines, closing borders, and prohibiting non-citizens from entry with little advance notice. Airlines have cancelled many international flights and several cruise operators have suspended operations or cancelled trips. If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe.