This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the lived experiences of five adult female educators in Ontario, Canada who were diagnosed with or self-identify as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Participants teach across elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. A college consultant in educational development was also interviewed as a key informant to provide additional context. Data was collected through one semi-structured interview per subject and validated through member-checking and a collaborative reflection process in which participants could help co-author their narrative vignettes.

The study investigates how ADHD intersects with gender, professional identity, pedagogy, and institutional systems, especially in women, most of whom discovered their ADHD in adulthood. While each story is unique, the participants from this study described bringing fun, sensitivity, creativity and empathy to a system which has traditionally pathologized ADHD rather than recognize it as an exceptional difference.

Themes included paradoxes of identity formation, systemic expectations and pedagogical values. Across educational contexts (elementary, secondary, and post-secondary) systems were seen as underfunded, outdated and unsustainable. Participants shared experiences of burnout and chronic pain as well as some struggles navigating ableism, and internalized stigma. They also reflected on their past as young students with unnamed ADHD and how these experiences shaped their relationships and sense of self. Many participants described teaching in ways they wish they had been taught and shared some examples of how they connect with struggling learners. Common challenges and/or traits included: all-or-nothing thinking, administrative overwhelm, emotional dysregulation, and struggling in environments that are not suited for their physical and mental well-being.

This study acknowledges the importance of expansive supportive and inclusionary measures. A student’s learning environment is a teacher’s work environment; therefore, where empathy and support helps one group, it will likely benefit others. The study calls for the creation and implementation of flexible, human-centered approaches to education that acknowledge and value diverse cognitive and emotional experiences within our schools as learning environments and as workplaces.