Daniel Whalen-Valeriano, 4th grade teacher

The thing I love most about teaching and working at SWS is… how everyone comes together to create such a joyful work and learning environment. You can feel the passion and investment of every member of the community and that translates to powerful learning experiences for everyone involved.

The thing I am most proud of is… wWorking in a school that understands the importance of social emotional learning in partnership with meaningful academic experiences to create caring citizens of the world

In my free time I enjoy… speaking Spanish, trying new restaurants, traveling and spending time with family and friends

My teaching style is calm, authentic, and humorous.

I’m passionate about teaching children because I love hearing children’s ideas evolve and watching them learn how to express their ideas. Children have a way of putting words and ideas together that is unlike that of any adult I know.


Daniel comes to SWS from DC Bilingual Public Charter School where he was a 4th grade teacher. He holds an Master’s in Elementary Education from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s of Arts from Dartmouth College.