News Release
Certified General Accountants
of Ontario's Accounting Teacher of the Year
stuffs students with the right stuff
July 2006
TORONTO, July 2006 - The Certified General Accountants of Ontario
presented Errol Platt, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute's business
teacher, with its 2006 Accounting Teacher of the Year award at the
Ontario Business Educators' Association's (OBEA) annual spring conference,
held in Toronto.
Given annually to a business teacher in the province, this CGA
Ontario-sponsored award recognizes exceptional teaching in accounting
for the last 11 years. As a 19-year teaching veteran and long-time
member of the OBEA, Platt, was recommended for this award by his
peers, who indicated he is, "an outstanding accounting teacher,
both inside and outside the classroom."
Early in his career Platt adopted a teaching mantra shared by a
(now-retired) colleague: "Teaching is simple: Know your stuff.
Know who you are stuffing. And stuff them."
How does he go about delivering the right stuff? Platt works with
students in setting their own learning goals to achieve over the
year. Platt also establishes a learning environment that is both
stimulating and fun. And, of course, he thoroughly knows his accounting
"stuff." He is clear, however, about separating work from
play time. Platt indicates, "Accounting, for example, isn't
a spectator sport. You have to do it. The only way to do it is [for
students] to work through the assignment. If you don't do it, you
can't understand it." He cites some
examples: A cash flow statement has to be worked through. The same
thing could be said for properly amortizing natural resources. Platt
indicates he always goes back to first principles, such as debits
and credits.
Only by doing these things can students determine the actual impact
on a business. Platt wants his students to know the why not just
the how of accounting.
CGA Ontario's 2006 Accounting Teacher of the Year award includes:
* A commemorative plaque engraved with Errol Platt's name (which
already hangs in his classroom).
* Platt's home school, Lawrence Park C.I., received a $500 cheque
from CGA Ontario, which will be dedicated to improving the secondary
school's business programs.
* A monetary award of $500, for Platt to use towards his personal
professional development.
The Certified General Accountants of Ontario has been proud to
sponsor this prestigious OBEA award since 1995, which celebrates
exceptional teachers who contribute positively to the education
of today's young
adults. Accounting Teacher of the Year recipients also serve as
role models to students by reinforcing the value and benefits of
a career choice as a professional accountant.
Additional resources:
* Listen to Errol Platt, CGA Ontario's Accounting Teacher of the
Year, comment on today's students (audio file two minutes and 17
seconds in length) by accessing www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol.mp3.
* If you do not have audio capability, read the transcript of his
remarks at
www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol_platt_transcript.aspx
* A longer interview with Errol Platt can be found at this URL:
www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/home/errol_platt.aspx.
The Envelope, Please.... Sponsor CGA Ontario congratulates this
year's winners of the Ontario Business Educators' Association's
Accounting Contests for grade 12 and grade 11 students. Read about
the award
winners at www.cga-ontario.org/contentfiles/secondary_school/obea.aspx
About the Certified General Accountants of Ontario:
The Certified General Accountants of Ontario is a self-governing
body, which grants the exclusive right to the CGA designation, and
controls the professional standards, conduct and discipline of its
members and
students in the province of Ontario. Broadly and deeply competent,
certified general accountants (CGAs) are committed to meeting the
needs of businesses and organizations with accounting and financial
expertise,
strategic insight, leadership and know-how. CGA Ontario's official
charitable partner is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and its
affiliate agencies across Ontario.
Certified General Accountants. Name Your Need.
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For more information or to arrange an interview with Errol Platt:
Judy Gombita
Manager, Communications
Certified General Accountants of Ontario
Tel: 416-544-4765 or 1-800-668-1454, ext. 244.
E-mail: jgombita@cga-ontario.org
Sources
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Toronto, Ontario, , Canada Tel:
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