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When Professor Alice Balter isn’t teaching at the University of Guelph-Humber, she’s often tackling difficult topics. That’s because Prof. Balter, who teaches in the departments of both Family and Community Social Services and Early Childhood Studies, is a health promotion professional, and she specializes in building teacher capacity around sexuality and mental health. Both subjects have considerable stigma related to them, so Prof. Balter has her work cut out for her.
“When working with teachers around sexual health education, I first focus on making them comfortable, and I do that by examining where our values around sexuality come from,” she says. “This helps teachers become aware of the many elements that influence sexuality and makes the topic more accessible.”
Prof. Balter feels that outcomes for children’s health and wellbeing can be increased as educators build their teaching capacities. For the 2014/15 academic year, Prof. Balter was awarded a UofGH Research Grant to examine Early Childhood Educator's (ECEs) perceptions about the development of sexuality in childhood, and she says that the training of teachers can have a large effect on students.
To make sure children get the right message, she says teachers have to be trained not just to know the content, but to be comfortable with it. Instead of feeling ashamed or uncomfortable, teachers should have a relaxed and matter-of-fact attitude. That way, the students understand that talking about sexual development is normal, even if it’s a little embarrassing.
Since she first started teaching at UofGH in 2006, Prof. Balter has made an effort to bring the lessons she’s learned in health promotion to her classroom.
“Over the years, I’ve developed an understanding of what really makes a lesson stick with people,” she says. “Engaging with either an audience or with students and getting them involved in their own learning is key to that. I make a point of interweaving experiential activities into my lessons because it really helps the material leave a lasting impression.”
Biography
Professor Alice Balter teaches in the departments of Family and Community Social Services and Early Childhood Development Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber.
She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s Degree in Family Studies from the University of British Columbia, and has worked for nearly a decade as a professional health promoter.
In 2014/15, Prof. Balter was awarded a UofGH Research Grant to study the perceptions of Early Childhood Educators on the development of sexuality in childhood. Her research pointed to a need for greater training in the subject for ECEs.
In 2015/16, Prof. Balter was awarded another UofGH Research Grant to examine Ontario teacher mental health capacity. Her research focuses on coping strategies, supports and developing the capacity to deal with everyday work-related stresses.
Areas of Expertise
Child Development
Sexuality Education
Mental Health Education
Building Teacher Capacity