Faculty Profile

Education: BA, University of Puget Sound, 2000; MAT, University of Puget Sound, 2002; PhD, Seattle Pacific University, 2020. At SPU since 2016.

Dr. Koetje brings 10 years of high school teaching experience in English and French to her teacher preparation roles in the School of Education. During that time she served public and private students in brick and mortar schools and online. In addition, she served in the Peace Corps with her husband teaching English as a world language to Portuguese speakers in rural Mozambique. Kirsten feels privileged to have such a wide perspective on education today and has a passion for championing teachers. Before joining regular SPU faculty in 2016, she worked as an adjunct instructor and intern field supervisor for the School of Education. In addition to her graduate program teaching and supervision of interns, she currently serves as the Assistant Director of Graduate Teacher Education.

Kirsten’s passion for education as a social justice issue overlaps her personal and professional life. Working with preservice teachers stimulates and motivates her to make the field a more encouraging place for all educators and thus a place where P-12 students can grow and thrive. She and her family live in Tacoma with a small group of like-minded families who purposely built intentional community in the same neighborhood in the early 2000s.  This life of common experience, service, and mission has been life altering and a deep source of personal gratitude. Her family and small group have attended and served University Place Presbyterian Church since 2000. Life-giving activities include walks in the park, geocaching, reading parties, good conversations, and group exercise classes at the YMCA.

Dr. Koetje completed her PhD in Education with a focus on teacher preparation. See her dissertation, Video Analysis in Educator Preparation and Its Impact on Teacher Performance.