Independence High School; San Jose, CA
Martin Brandt teaches sophomore and junior English at all levels. He has taught at Independence for eleven of his twelve years as a teacher. Mr. Brandt has taught all four high school grades and his classes have ranged from remedial courses to Honors. He is a member of the school’s Literacy Cadre and has been the school’s advisor for the California Scholarship Federation. In addition, he has served two terms on the school’s Staff Senate and participated in school restructuring initiatives, and is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English. Mr. Brandt developed a writing instruction technique called “The Technicolor Paragraph,” which has improved his students’ writing on all levels. He gives his students the freedom and respect to write creatively, while helping them to achieve beyond their goals in schoolwork and in life. Mr. Brandt has a special understanding of his students, as he graduated from an eastside School District high school. He is a living lesson of overcoming obstacles to achieve and enjoy life. -Published 2003
