So basically I’ve been working as a high school teacher at a public school in Taipei. Recently, I started my PhD. My school has been awesome and has given me one day a week to attend classes (since the Taipei moe refused to update the pay schedule to the new wages for English teachers I was able to negotiate this). However, 1. They said this is limited only to this year and 2. I’d like to take 3 classes each semester next year so I can finish the coursework a but quicker and focus more on research.
Additionally, my school is quite far away from my university.
So now I know I won’t stay next year (unless the school can offer me less work time without cutting my pay). My contract is up at the end of July. How early should I start looking for work?
Is it feasible to make 60,000 a month part time (like 20-30 hours a week) outside of teaching? Actually I’d prefer to work in research in some capacity if possible. Maybe project management or research manager or something similar? Ultimately I’d like to open my own research firm focused on UX, and social science research and policy solutions but that’s more of a long term goal (especially since I only have a little savings left after my wedding/ honeymoon)
Edit: I forgot to mention my skill sets. I have my bachelor’s in psychology and political science and worked as a RA in a social psychology research lab where I learned SPSS, lab procedures, and participant recruitment, I have my masters in applied social and political psychology where I was an apprentice in a different social psychology lab where I learned psychopy with an emphasis on social media and gaming psychology and designed research using IAT (implicit association tests) on secondary identity and group conflict.
I also served 4 years in the USMC (united States Marine Corps) as a data network specialist which like a systems administrator, network administrator and help desk rolled into 1. I completed my CCNA and my security plus (although they expired by now). I also have been a teacher, first at a cram school for a year, then as a title 1 teacher in Milwaukee for another year and now 1.5 years as a high school teacher in Taipei where I’ve also taught history, geography, and literature along with ELL. I’m certified in Wisconsin for English Language arts.
I’m currently a PhD student at NCCU where I study at the International doctoral program in Asian Studies.