The ICSJ Tot Program is led by seasoned teacher Maria Laura Diab. Earning her Early Childhood Education Degree from the Institute Sara Faisal in her home country of Argentina, Mrs. Diab has over 20 years of teaching experience in preschools in both Argentina and Chicago. Mrs. Diab is a fluent Spanish speaker and enjoys sharing her language with our youngest learners. She has a strong passion for educating young children with fun and engaging activities including singing, dancing, and acting! 

The Tot Program serves a maximum of 10 students along with each child’s caregiver. The number of students in the class is intentionally small allowing our tots, their caregiver, and the teacher the opportunity to comfortably interact with one another throughout the duration of the class. The Tot Program is designed for one caregiver and their toddler. In the case of twin siblings, the 1:2 ratio of one caregiver to two children is acceptable. 

The caregiver accompanying his/her tot is an essential component to the success of our program. Each caregiver is asked to engage, encourage, and foster their child’s learning throughout the class, supervising and keeping the child safe at all times. As the toddlers begin to demonstrate independence and readiness, typically beginning in late spring, parents/caregivers will transition out of the classroom and into an adjacent room, allowing the child (and the parents!) to begin building necessary separation skills. 

Registration is offered on a first come - first serve basis and is limited to 10 students. Please submit the application linked below and we will be in touch regarding the next steps.