You Are OK and You Will Be OK: Navigating Menopause as a Teacher

The first signal came as I was standing in my classroom suddenly dripping with sweat. “Ms. Nichols, are you hot? Are you OK?” my seventh-grade students asked during a season more suited to layering up than stripping down.

Not long ago, menopause was barely talked about in social circles and not even mentioned in professional ones. Now, thanks to the rise of online communities and voices like Just Being Melani who keep it refreshingly real, we can finally talk about this season openly.

Teachers are multitasking on any given day. Then add hormonal changes that include insomnia, irritability, and brain fog. Even type A teachers can suddenly struggle, without knowing why. (FYI, if this sounds like you but you’re only about 10 years into teaching, research “perimenopause”).

For me, the 20-year teaching mark, the empty nest, and a new set of OB-GYN lingo all came neatly packaged just in time for TikTok trends, artificial intelligence, and phone bans.

Normalize Reality and Get Support

A perfect storm is defined as a rare combination of unfortunate factors that create calamity. There is nothing rare or calamitous about menopause, whether in or out of the classroom. Gendered stereotypes can nick our confidence, but that’s when we normalize opening up about the midlife classroom. When you suddenly start peeling off layers, it really is OK to say, “My body is having a power surge—it’s a woman thing,” as easily as you say, “I have allergies.” Kids will ask, and your response may be the memory that makes them feel normal years from now.

If you don’t have teacher friends with whom you share personal details, look for spaces to share with family, in health care–adjacent groups, or with your faith community. Can’t find a group? Start one. You don’t need expertise, just offer a safe space. You could even start a fact-finding group that explores the increasing number of research articles and literature available. If nothing surfaces in real life, social media really is your friend.

Once you have support and information, your evolution is programmed for success.

Manage Your Symptoms

Some teachers will notice only the mildest of symptoms. For the rest of us, research and good health care are key. There are a lot of options, and suffering in silence isn’t one of them. Research, talk with friends, and advocate for yourself with health care professionals. The research is still catching up, so arm yourself with a list of questions and insist on getting answers, even if it means bringing along that fiercely unapologetic friend for support.

Once you’ve assembled your people, you’ll need the right tools.

“Where them fans at?” is more than a line dance anthem. If you have even infrequent “power surges,” a small USB-powered fan can be a lifesaver. Buy several (keep them in your bag, the car, your desk, etc.).

Menopause wearables are handy gadgets that help you track and manage your journey. If you think tech advances for the classroom are dizzying, wait until you see what personal devices await you.

Acknowledge Your Own Personhood 

Life at midlife can be complicated. Sometimes it’s hormonal, but often it’s the complexity of navigating changing relationships as both parents and children get older. Having proactive conversations with your family about changes in your relationships and about the changes in you can soften those shifts.

Teachers tend to be givers and nurturers, and midlife can bring needs that refuse to stay politely in the background. Whether it’s more rest, more time in nature, or a partner who keeps up with your body’s plot twists or actual shared responsibility at home, whatever your “new you” needs, honor her.

Is It Time To Retire?

That often is the question, especially as you near the 20-year mark. Feeling like you no longer understand the world you teach in—the tech, the parents, the new slang every month—can be draining. However, leaving the classroom isn’t usually the answer. The same tech, young colleagues/managers, and worldview gaps are all waiting just beyond campus borders. With ageism and the waning value placed on the teaching profession, transitions aren’t always easy.

If you’re truly sure that it’s time for a change, teachers have many transferable skills. But for those who can’t imagine August arriving without a new set of smiling faces, here are a few helpful strategies:

• Approach new tech like a hobby. In your off time, find space for—and joy in—clicking around to get familiar with high-leverage tools. Follow resources like Ditch That Textbook and Cult of Pedagogy for low-stakes intros to tools you can use. Being unafraid to seek help (from a student or tech-savvy teacher mentor) yields great results.
• Meet people where they are. Instead of viewing students through ideological, generational, or moral filters, accept them as they are. When a comment or interaction triggers you, pause and ask yourself whether your classroom safety or simply your personal beliefs feel impacted. That quick gut check helps you respond with clarity instead of defensiveness. If a student shares gender, political, or faith beliefs you don’t hold, remember that your role is to offer a steady, welcoming space where they can learn and grow. 
• Double down on the tip above when it comes to parents. Even the parents of the child with top-tier sneakers and devices and bottom-tier behaviors. When you feel that spark of irritation, pause and think about whether your classroom boundaries or your expectations about parenting feel threatened. This doesn’t mean agreeing with everything that parents decide; it means holding firm to your classroom expectations while recognizing that every family is doing the best they can with what they know. 

You Can Navigate Change With Grace

Remember that personal perfect storm I mentioned earlier? I moved to working at the district just as my son finished high school and headed off to the army. Overnight, I went from having 186 + 1 kids to having zero. (Shout-out to the coworkers who politely pretended not to notice my midconversation cry breaks.) I had to get semi-comfortable apologizing and admitting that I was navigating new terrain while still being a fully functioning adult. I’m better for it, and so are they. Not one person who witnessed that version of me treated me with less respect. It was quite the opposite; they met me with grace.

My students did too. Nothing was more heart-melting than when my seventh-grade (the mean and the quiet) girls united to tell the boys, “Let her sweat in peace. It’s PRIVATE!” That right there is mystical, magical menopause.

You are OK, and you will be OK. This era brings big energy and a kind of empowerment that no amount of sweating can water down. The deep, steady confidence shaped by everything you’ve lived and learned in the classroom and beyond now enriches your practice, steadies your presence, and helps students feel safe, seen, and understood. Gather yourself and get excited: You’re stepping into a chapter where your full humanity becomes your greatest strength, and your shine finds its way to the front of the room.