Educator profile
Group Leader Spotlight: Mike O’Neal
Christina from EF | October 15, 2008
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Mike O’Neal, a seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher from Kirkland, Washington, never wanted to be the type of person who one day would reflect upon his life and say, “Coulda, shoulda.”
When it comes to traveling, he certainly has accomplished that goal. Mike has taken more than a dozen EF tours and traveled on five Teacher Convention Tours. From Kenya to Russia to the Galápagos Islands, Mike has explored six continents with EF!
Mike (pictured above at a Turkish market) took a few minutes to talk about how travel impacts his students, planning and recruiting his tours and watching the pelicans and sharks in the Galápagos:
Tell us about yourself. What is your teaching background?
After a blue-collar early life as a cotton chopper, furniture mover, cook and glass factory worker, I figured there must be a better way to live and make a living. I went back to college and earned my degree in history, along with my teaching credential back in 1983. I’ve been teaching since then.
Tell us about your experiences on EF conventions.
Man, EF conventions are the best! A long time ago, my tour consultant told me the conventions were the best bang for the buck, and he was right. I’ve been to Kenya, Morocco, the Galápagos Islands, Peru, Russia, Scandinavia and Iceland on conventions! A lifetime goal of mine was to walk some of the Inca trail into Machu Picchu, and I accomplished that in 2006. Eating whale in Norway was fun; being surrounded by baboons in Kenya was not. No worries. I wasn’t their type. But, the Galápagos Islands were truly amazing! From the bow of the ship, we watched pelicans, seals, flying fish and sharks all swimming together. I was hoping a pelican wouldn’t be eaten right in front of me by a shark, but I was also hoping a pelican would be eaten in front of me by a shark! For two hours, it was better than TV.
You’ve spoken at many Paris Orientations. Why do you think it is important for new group leaders to attend Paris O? Do you have any good advice for them?
Oh, baby! The orientations are so much friggin’ fun! And, they give new group leaders a real taste for what it is like to run a tour. The EF staff gives a good overview of what EF is all about and how they run things, and address any and all questions. I strongly recommend the orientations for any new group leader. Like teaching, it isn’t about reinventing the wheel, it’s about taking time-tested techniques and making them your own.
What kind of an effect does traveling abroad have on your students?
Very few of my students come back the same kid as when they went, and all the changes are positive. They have more self-confidence and refined problem-solving skills, they pay more attention to the news, especially if it concerns the country they visited, and they become more adaptive and assertive when traveling, dealing with others and communicating. It is really fun to watch them as we travel and see their manifestations take place daily!
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You traveled on EF tours all over the world. How do you decide where to take your students on tour? Where will you be traveling next?
In the initial years, I picked countries I wanted to see. As the popularity of my trips grew, I began to take requests from students and families. I like it when parents come with us. It is a great bonding experience for child and parent. This spring, I am headed to England and Scotland, and that tour filled up a year in advance! As a result, I’ve got so many Quadruple Global Points that my son and I will be able to travel to three countries in Southern Africa for the 2009 summer convention!
Do you have any tips for recruiting students for your tour?
That’s easy. I get very excited for every place we visit, and it’s contagious. For this upcoming trip, I recruited another popular teacher to help me chaperone, and once students learned the two of us were heading up the trip, the sign-ups came in like wildfire.
How do you handle all the pre-tour planning? What ways do you keep your participants up-to-date with the latest tour details?
I have been doing these trips since 1996, and my school and community know there is always a student trip planned for spring break. Making EF trips a constant really helps with the recruiting. I pass out materials at school, put announcements in the school newsletters and the PTSA fliers and I email my past travelers. I run meetings before, during and after sign-ups, and recruit along the way. The EF website is a great way to stay current with tour news and payments. I email my participants and make phone calls, and stay in close touch with my tour consultant.
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How have you used your Global Points so far?
Two televisions, many domestic flights and five conventions! I really try to rack up the quad points when recruiting. The points are relatively easy to accumulate, and sure are a lot of fun to trade in! A cruise in the Galápagos Islands—c’mon, I almost feel guilty!
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I don’t mean to sound cliché, but EF has truly become an extended family. So many EF staff members have become such good friends of mine; the trips, orientations and conventions create a bond not easily undone. These trips with EF will always stand out as the highlights of my life. I told myself long ago that I would never be one of those guys who sits on his porch in the rocking chair saying, “Coulda, shoulda … ” EF has given me travel bragging rights that will keep my grandchildren perpetually entertained!
(To recommend an EF Group Leader for the Group Leader Spotlight, please email us at [email protected].)
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