Context and Implications Document for: Developing caring relationships in schools: a review of the research on caring and nurturing pedagogies Andrea Velasquez 1 , Richard E. West 1 , Charles Graham 1 and Richard Osguthorpe 2 1 Brigham Young University, USA and 2 Boise State University, USA This guide accompanies the following article: Andrea Velasquez, Richard E. West, Charles Graham and Richard Osguthorpe, Developing caring relationships in schools: a review of the research on caring and nurturing pedagogies, Review of Education, 10.1002/rev3.3014 Author’s Introduction In many ways, it could be argued that the field of education has strayed from our primary responsibility to help teachers connect to students in meaningful ways. Perhaps it is because in our technological society, innovations in technologies often seem to drive educational theory and practice. Perhaps it is because of our focus on standards and testing, which could put a disproportionate emphasis on the knowledge learned rather than the relationships developed. In any case, many researchers and theorists have expressed a need to answer what role care plays in education, particularly since, at its core, education is about the humans involved in teaching and learning. In this paper, we define the concept of caring pedagogy, and synthesize research in this area in order to better understand what we know about caring in education, and what future research is needed to extend our understanding. Implications for Practice The research indicates that utilizing a caring pedagogy can improve learning, particu- larly when teachers use modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation at the individ- ual and community level. To nurture students, educators should first understand the components of caring, according to Noddings’ theory, which defines caring not as a single act or feeling, but a relationship (Noddings, 1984). Also, research has shown that caring can be influenced by race, gender and culture, although this is still under- examined in the research. Finally, online learning is exploding across all levels of © 2013 British Educational Research Association Review of Education Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2013, pp. 191–193 DOI: 10.1002/rev3.3015