Mark teaches band, choir, symphony orchestra and theatre at Vancouver Technical Secondary School, where he has spent most of his career. He also teaches orchestra at Saint James Music Academy, an after-school orchestra program for vulnerable children living in Canada’s most impoverished neighbourhood.
He was recognised nationally as the 2013 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year for his commitment to inclusive classrooms, comprised of students with a variety of cognitive, psychosocial, and emotional challenges. Mark has shown leadership on provincial and national levels in professional associations and development conferences and also through published learning resources and volunteer work.
His innovative music teaching approach borrows instructional techniques from teaching children to read, by building on students’ prior experience and creativity in the area. Mark has developed a purpose-built music theory and musicianship program that is now in use at two other schools. His students have performed diverse music from all over the world, sometimes using authentic instruments when possible.