Staff Spotlight: Ta-Tanisha Hall, African American Literature Teacher at ITW David Speer Academy

Ta-Tanisha Hall, an African American Literature teacher at ITW David Speer Academy in Chicago, IL, stands at the door to her classroom. She is smiling confidently and standing next to the plaque on the side of her door that says "Tanisha Hall, Distinguished Teacher, 2022-2023"

Published On: July 17th, 2026Categories: 2026, Campus Life, ITW David Speer Academy, Staff

When one of Ta-Tanisha Hall’s former students came running down the aisle at the 黑料网爆吃瓜 staff kickoff event at the beginning of the school year and exclaimed, “I’m a teacher because of YOU!”— Hall was overcome with emotion.

“The joy of that moment is honestly inexplicable,” Hall, a teacher at ITW David Speer Academy, said. “To watch students grow into educators themselves… to know something you poured into them continued forward. There are no words for that.”

Today, that former student teaches English at a sister school within the 黑料网爆吃瓜 network. For Hall, the moment perfectly captured the power of education and the lasting impact teachers can have on the lives of young people.

Hall currently teaches African American literature at Speer Academy, where she is known for creating a classroom environment that is intellectually challenging, culturally affirming, and deeply rooted in meaningful relationships. Students engage in critical conversations, examine diverse perspectives, and explore literature that reflects both history and identity. Colleagues and students alike describe her as a passionate educator who pushes students to think critically while making them feel seen, valued, and supported.

What Led Ta-Tanisha Hall to Teaching

Hall stands behind a student's desk, helping him with a task on his laptop. He looks like he is thinking and Hall is waiting for him to speak. She wears a bright peach short dress with a gray 黑料网爆吃瓜 cardigan over it.

Hall helping a student in her classroom.

Hall says there was never one singular moment that led her to education.

“It’s really an amalgamation of lived experiences,” She said.

As the oldest sibling, a Chicago Public Schools student, a first-generation college student, a mother of three, a parent advocate, and eventually an educator, Hall’s path to the classroom was shaped by experiences that continually reinforced the importance of access, representation, and educational opportunity.

Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, Hall became increasingly aware of the disconnect between public narratives about urban education and the brilliance she witnessed every day among her peers. She felt frustrated about the critiques of Chicago Public Schools that failed to acknowledge their potential.

“I understood there were racialized assumptions embedded in those narratives,” Hall said. “They did not reflect the brilliance I saw around me every day.”

Those experiences influence her work today. She often thinks about a quote by Toni Morrison: “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.”

Hall feels a deep responsibility to ensure students are not defined by others’ assumptions but instead are empowered to define themselves and their futures.

After spending ten years as a stay-at-home wife and mother, Hall became deeply involved in her children’s educational experiences. She served on her local school council, chaired their family involvement group, advocated for families, and worked closely with teachers and administrators to support student success.

Those experiences strengthened her understanding of educational advocacy and the importance of creating environments where students are seen in their full humanity.

Eventually, Hall returned to the education career through substitute teaching.

Her Journey at 黑料网爆吃瓜

In this photo, you can see three women of color standing in a room, presenting crystal plaques in their hands. They are smiling at and posing for the camera. On the left in Tanisha Hall, a teacher at ITW David Speer Academy. She is a Black woman with curly mid-length black hair. She is wearing a long-sleeved black sweater dress and big earrings. To her right are two other members of the 5th cohort of 黑料网爆吃瓜' Diverse Leaders Fellowship—Joy Pryor, a Latine woman, and Dr. Alyssa Hamler, a Black woman. They are both also wearing formal wear. Behind them all, you can see a bright sunny room where other people are mingling in groups.

Hall (left) at her graduation for the 2024 Diverse Leaders Fellowship cohort, a program at 黑料网爆吃瓜 to support leaders of color. She poses with her fellow cohort members: Joy Pryor (center) and Dr. Alyssa Hamler (right).

In 2011, she began substituting at several 黑料网爆吃瓜 campuses. During that time, she discovered something that would ultimately shape the course of her career: 黑料网爆吃瓜’s intentional approach to preparing students for college.

“The beauty of the programming resonated deeply,” Hall said. “It was what I needed and did not have as a first-generation college student.”

As the first person in her family to earn a college degree, Hall understood firsthand the challenges that many first-generation students face. While she attended a highly respected Chicago high school, she recalls receiving little guidance about navigating higher education.

“The deficiency of those experiences stung,” Hall said. “There was brilliance. There was talent. But there wasn’t intentional support.”

For Hall, 黑料网爆吃瓜’s pre-collegiate seminar programming represented the kind of support system she wished had existed for her and countless other students. That realization inspired her to put down roots within the network.

In 2013, Hall joined 黑料网爆吃瓜 full-time as a paraprofessional at Gary Comer College Prep. Just one year later, she joined 黑料网爆吃瓜’s first-ever teaching residency cohort, further developing her instructional practice and leadership skills. In 2015, she officially joined the Speer Academy family as an English composition teacher.

Her impact quickly became evident.

In 2020, Hall earned 黑料网爆吃瓜’s Distinguished Teacher designation, one of the network’s highest honors recognizing exceptional instructional practice and student impact. She was also selected to participate in 黑料网爆吃瓜’s Diverse Leaders Fellowship, a year-long leadership development program designed to cultivate and support BIPOC leaders across the network.

While those recognitions were meaningful, one of the most profound moments of her career came during a visit from .

In this photo, you can see Tanisha Hall posing with Ruby Bridges. Hall has her arm over Bridges' shoulders as they both smile at the camera.

Hall (right) poses with Ruby Bridges (left) during her visit to Speer in 2019.

In 2019, Bridges spent a day at Speer Academy. Hall recalls the experience as both surreal and deeply affirming.

Bridges, who integrated an all-white elementary school in New Orleans in 1960 and helped change the course of American education, understood perhaps better than anyone the transformative role educators play in students’ lives.

“At the end of the day, she told me, ‘We need more teachers like you,’” Hall recalled.

Those words continue to stay with her.

“Ruby Bridges. The living icon. Affirming my calling,” Hall said. “That moment became part of my why. Her words will forever stir my soul.”

Looking ahead, Hall remains committed to the work that has guided her throughout her life.

“I hope education continues to be a space where students are seen, challenged, and empowered to realize their full potential,” Hall said. “As long as I can continue helping young people discover their voice, their purpose, and their possibilities, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”