Like her grandmother, mother, and aunts before her, Tina Harris received her general education at the Bermuda High School for Girls (BHS) before completing her studies in the combined Saltus-BHS Senior Year programme. Then it was on to four years at McGill University in Montreal, Canada from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree.

Returning home, Miss Harris first taught for three school years at Francis Patton School before moving on to her old alma mater in 1993, teaching first the Primary Two students, then the Primary Three's, and finally the Primary Six's. The latter she particularly enjoyed because she felt she could relate to them more easily.

"By that time I found the students could appreciate my sense of humour because I can be very dry at times," she says. "I had a lot of fun teaching them because they were a year group you could talk to about many things and they were interested. They hadn't yet reached that teen stage where they weren't interested in anything, and you couldn't tell them anything because teens know it all - with a few exceptions, obviously."

Despite her busy workload, Miss Harris found time to pursue a Master of Science degree in her spare time through a two-year course offered by Wheelock College. Its system of visiting lecturers, course work and written examinations meant that she could learn while she earned without leaving Bermuda, at the same time gaining practical experience through incorporating her studies into her teaching.

Almost from beginning of her career at BHS someone was watching her - subtly at first, and then more openly. Mrs. Lorna Andersen, then-head of the Primary Department, recognised the young teacher's qualities, and saw in her a potential successor, so she mentored and encouraged her to work towards that goal. To that end, Miss Harris was involved in many aspects of running the school, including curriculum planning, with particular strengths in mathematics, science, and computers.

"Lorna was instrumental in developing a very good curriculum for the school and devising a set of objectives that we followed, but change is always necessary in order to grow, and I worked closely with her on developing this, particularly in the sciences and project work area," she says.

Miss Harris also took a strong interest in students with learning difficulties, and beyond the classroom conducted workshops for parents to ensure they understood the importance of students developing concepts rather than rote learning.

When the time finally neared for Miss Andersen to retire, her proteg?e approached her decision cautiously.

"I said, 'OK, Lorna, it's crunch time, tell me about (the headship) honestly'," Miss Harris remembers. "When you see the job from outside the door you don't get the feel of how much the head of the Primary Department does. As a staff, we always realised that Lorna was involved in so many aspects of the school, and she was our resident expert on so many things because she had been there for a number of years. When I came into her office I said, 'Do you have a couple of minutes?' Three hours later we were still chatting!"

While their discussion gave her a good overview of the post, Miss Harris had some concerns that troubled her. One of them was her age.

"I am 34, and I saw that as a challenge because as the head of department you have to maintain your grip on what actually goes in the classroom, but you don't have the opportunities go in and teach. You have to find time to do that, and while it is beneficial it isn't easy. You can only stretch yourself so far," she says.

There was also the matter of being in an authoritative position over colleagues with whom she had shared school life on an equal basis for many years, but when all was said and done, the outcome was positive.

When school opens in September, Miss Harris will be one of the youngest heads of school that BHS has ever had.

"Coming from the faculty is a challenge, but I am not worried about it. I think I have had a good relationship with the teachers. In fact, they have all been very supportive of me in my new role, and I have had nothing but good wishes from all of them," she says. "I certainly know what goes on in the staff room, and I know the gripes that teachers have. One of the best things about our Primary Department is that the teachers talk to each other and they communicate well, so when there are problems they are very friendly and helpful."

In terms of future changes, this new broom doesn't plan to sweep away all that went before. Instead, she plans to proceed cautiously and make improvements in collaboration with her staff which will ultimately benefit the students and themselves.

"I believe in the adage, 'If it isn't broke, don't fix it,' but at the same time we can't become stagnant, and there is always room to move forward," Miss Harris says. "I envisage working with the teachers, looking at where we are now and seeing where we want to go. It has to be a team effort with the teachers involved in looking at curricula, programmes and objectives, and moving the whole programme forward. Education is always changing and always improving. My job is to keep up with current trends and look at their validity vis-?-vis our programme: 'Would this be a good addition? Would it enhance our programme, or is it good enough for it?' The teachers' input on these questions is vital. They are the experts and my bank of knowledge. Often they can look at a programme and say whether or not it will work."

Acknowledging that "the primary years can make or break a desire for education", Miss Harris is committed to ensuring that each of the 360 children under her aegis ultimately moves on having received the best possible foundation of knowledge. Citing mathematics as one example, she stresses that if children miss the basics, they will have difficulty later on when they begin looking at problem solving and how mathematics are used in everyday life.

"The primary teacher's job is to give the child those basics, and also the desire to learn more," she says.

Since children learn at different rates, the teacher's challenge lies in meeting the individual needs of each individual within a classroom. BHS tries to maintain 20 students in each of its three year-group classes.

"I think a school becomes successful when the teachers nurture all the different little girls in a classroom, and help them to reach their best level of achievement."

In this regard, Miss Harris says that the school has moved well away from the days when only the high achievers were nurtured by their teachers, and such horrors as posting examination results in three colours (red for honours, blue for passes, and pencil for failures) were the norm.

"Today, teachers are aware of the need to nurture each and every student, and they are also aware of students' rights - the right to a good education; the right to be treated as an individual; and the right not to be degraded."

By the same token, the new Primary Department head believes it is important for students to strive to achieve, and for their achievements to be recognised.

"Some are artistic, others are good at math, or write beautifully and creatively. Every child has a strength somewhere. In our monthly assemblies we recognise their achievements. It doesn't matter whether they came first or fifth in something. It is the recognition that is so important, and it gives them pride," she says.

On the merits of single-sex education, which is the policy at BHS, Miss Harris admits research is divided for and against, but her personal belief is that it has its place in education.

"I think girls in a single sex school display aspects of behaviour that they would perhaps not display if they were with boys," she says "Some research shows that in a mixed school boys get the most attention, and the behaviour problems are with the boys, while the girls are expected to sit quietly in the classroom and behave, and they also get overshadowed by the boys. Whereas within the single sex school, certainly for the girls, they are given every opportunity to answer questions on math and science, take part in debates, and participate in all sporting activities.

"I think you have to look at your girls. Single sex education has taught our girls to be very independent thinkers. They are capable of doing the traditionally male-oriented subjects like math, science, operating computers, debating and sports."

However, Miss Harris also believes it is important for the parents of BHS students to involve their children in extra-curricular activities involving boys so that they become well-rounded individuals.

In terms of parental involvement in the school, the new Primary Department head describes this as "phenomenal" and says they are very, very supportive in many ways. The parents also communicate very well with the faculty, and problems are addressed promptly.

Clearly proud to be the third generation of her family to be associated with BHS, this capable young woman is even more delighted to know that a fourth generation is already signed up. The infant daughter of her twin sister, Alison, will be attending in a few years' time.

"The fact that the family still has a desire to continue this connection, and chooses to send its girls here, says everything about the school," she smiles.

The fact that the school has vested ultimate responsibility for shaping future generations of its Primary students in 34-year-old Miss Harris says even more.