What does it mean to "Have a Heart'?

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For the above poll, imagine that a person is taking a test for which they are not prepared. The person then tears up and can not continue. What should the person administering the test (the "Proctor") do, assuming that he or she "Has a Heart"?

For purposes of discussion, please focus on the following two questions:

1. What do you mean when you tell someone to "Have a Heart"?

2. What does it mean to you to be told to "Have a Heart"?

...

Please remain calm while taking the poll and posting your answers.

Thank you.

i don't think anyone's told me to 'have a heart' so it's hard to say. likewise i don't ever recall suggesting someone else 'has a heart'. to me it seems like something said by someone that wants to persuade someone else to break rules for their own gain

Short term kindness: Let the person take it at a later time (with different questions, obviously), or, less likely, pass them. They go home happy and you feel warm and fuzzy inside having done a good deed.

Long term kindness: Ask them if they need anything (tissues, a water bottle, etc) and tell them to just try their best. They go home unhappy and so do you, but in the future maybe the person will think twice before going in unprepared and letting the situation happen.


They might also just be trying to scam you somehow. But ultimately cutting corners for people all the time does everyone (them included) more bad than good

"Have a heart" is just a way to induce sympathy through guilt often focusing on the short term

1. What do you mean when you tell someone to "Have a Heart"?
A "heart," in my understanding, is a capacity for sentimentalism. My reference for this is the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.

2. What does it mean to you to be told to "Have a Heart"?
That I am most likely over-analyzing a situation, or not considering it in the way someone else would like me to consider it (I have been told this before).

My answer to the question in the OP: I do not know. I can get sentimental about some things (plants / animals / nature / inanimate objects), but have a hard time getting sentimental about individual people.

I haven't heard of this phrase before. But it's reminded me that Valentine's Day candy is on sale. I think I'll buy some this weekend. I'll have many hearts. And they'll all be made of milk chocolate.

Under this situation, 'having an heart' would mean listening to whether they have a valid excuse for coming in unready from a preparation or mental standpoint. A sudden death in the family or personal illness/injury causing missed time might warrant a later test date, but that should have been broached prior to the test date. Really though, you can't have different standards for one person and not another.

I'd give the person a passing grade and dispose of the answer sheet.

i don't understand the poll options. what am i supposed to do, according to my proctor rules? because that's what i would do.

also, did the test-taker ask me to have a heart?

It depends. The person may have gone through a traumatic experience recently which has triggered the emotional response, in which case they should be allowed to do the test at a later date.

If they are just sobbing because they didn't do enough study, then that's their fault.

Being told to have a heart would not affect what I would do so that phrase is irrelevant here. I voted for Other because what I would do would depend on the student's history in my class. If he's someone who hasn't been doing homework or paying attention & has been skipping class or is the class clown & needs to do well on this test to pass the class; I would NOT cut him any slack at all & would send him to the office if his crying was disruptive. If the student has learning problems or anxiety issues or is having problems that day because of another student in class; I would offer to give him the test privately after class. If it was a situation where he's having some family trouble or personal problem; I would excuse him from the test & not factor the test in when doing the grade average at the end of the semester

It means to be sensitive about the feelings of the people around you.