🌱 Creating a Healthy Learning Environment

• A parent conversation on nurturing musical growth with flexibility, structure, and connection
  Hosted by Guillem Calvo with guest Suzuki teachers Gerda Thorn (flute, Amsterdam) and Laura Keuzenkamp (viola, The Hague)

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  This interactive session explored what it really means to support your child’s learning—not just through practice routines, but through the emotional and psychological environment we help create at home.

  Whether your child is a beginner, a teenager, or somewhere in between, this talk offered encouragement, reflection, and real-life strategies to help your family thrive in music and beyond.

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  🌟 Key Takeaways

  🏡 The Environment is Everything
  What surrounds the child matters. A learning space built on consistency, patience, and emotional safety allows children to grow with confidence.

  🪴 Growth Takes Time – Nurture with Care
  A child’s progress is like a growing plant: it needs sunlight, water, and the right balance—too much pressure or not enough flexibility can cause stress instead of growth.

  🧰 Practical Strategies for Every Stage
  The panel offered concrete tips for handling motivation dips, building consistent habits, and adjusting routines when life gets messy.

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  💬 Insights from the Panel

  • Laura focused on the balance between structure and flexibility—how to follow the teacher’s plan at home while responding to your child’s emotional state. Her analogy of nurturing a seed into a flower captured the heart of the session.

  • Gerda drew on her experience with positive psychology and Suzuki philosophy, reminding us that rest, playfulness, and connection are vital parts of a child’s learning journey.

  • Guillem emphasized that families, like children, are always growing—and that sometimes the smallest shift in our mindset can make practice smoother and more joyful.

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  📄 Read the full transcript here:
  Otter Summary & Transcript

Speakers Bios

Gerda Thorn – Suzuki Flute Teacher

Gerda is a passionate flute teacher with more than 30 years of experience. She studied at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam with Harrie Starreveld and graduated with distinction in pedagogy. She runs a thriving flute studio in Amsterdam and has dedicated the past 14 years to teaching with the Suzuki Method, having completed all five levels of training.

Gerda is regularly invited to teach at international Suzuki workshops, and she enjoys sharing her knowledge through lectures and articles about the method. Alongside her teaching, she continues to perform with the Holland Symphony Orchestra, the Promenade Orchestra, and the Dutch Accompaniment Orchestra.

Laura Keunzenkamp – Suzuki Viola and Violin Teacher

Laura is a viola and violin teacher based in The Hague, The Netherlands. After completing her viola studies at the Maastricht Conservatory in 2015, she discovered her true passion lay in teaching students of all ages. She now teaches at Strijkdomein, a vibrant collective of Suzuki and non-Suzuki string teachers, where she helps organise creative projects and events for young musicians.

Since 2018, Laura has been teaching using the Suzuki Method. She completed all levels of Suzuki Violin training at the Conservatory of Antwerp, and is currently completing Level 5 for Suzuki Viola in Edinburgh and London. Laura regularly teaches at international Suzuki workshops, including the National Suzuki Workshop in The Netherlands, the European Suzuki Viola Gathering, Musica Molto, Con Calore Autumn Workshop in Belgium, and the BSMA National Suzuki Workshop in the UK.

Guillem Calvo - Suzuki Violin Teacher and Trainer

Guillem’s journey as a Suzuki violin teacher has been inspired by his own experiences as a young Suzuki student, developing into a passion for music education. His teaching spans workshops and group lessons across the UK, Europe, and online, with a focus on creating supportive, engaging environments for his students and their parents. Guillem is also a co-founder of Insight Suzuki, an initiative aimed at bringing Suzuki teachers and parents together for training and community. His teaching is rooted in fostering both musical skills and personal development, emphasizing the transformative power of consistent practice and mindful listening.