The importance of curiosity

I have written in a couple of previous posts about a project that is being run at the moment by one of our 2nd grade teachers called The Curiosity Project.  Curiosity is one of the PYP attitudes, and is seen as being an essential part of inquiry.  The document Making the PYP Happen explains this in the following way:

Children, from birth, are full of curiosity, and the PYP provides a framework that gives crucial support for them to be active inquirers and lifelong learners. 

Through inquiry students "develop their natural curiosity.  They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning.   They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives."

But what is curiosity?  How does a 2nd grader think about it?  Here are some comments from students in the class that shows how important they think that it is:

I think curiuosity means something you want to find out about. Curiosity is something you are excited about doing. When you feel curious and you find out things, that feels good.  I think this project is awesome because we can make, do and find out about ANYTHING we want to. (Nirvan)

Curiosity is when you want to know and learn something that you do not know about.  You want to know more and more about it and do not give up. You will be curious about something only if you are interested in it.  I think I am a curious person.  I keep asking my parents questions starting with “who”, “when”, “why”, “what” and “how”……. (Ayla)

Curious means you are inquisitive. You want to learn about the world. You discover new things.  (Anjali)

*You are curious and you really are interested in something  and you want to learn more about it.

*You are inspired about something that you have seen or done and you really get into it and want to use that in your life.

*You are a curious learner and learn about loads of things and every time you learn about something you want to learn more.  (Zainab)

Curiosity is something - the part of your brain where you dream or where dreams come from. Curiosity has another word - imagination. It is an important part. Without curiosity we wouldn't think of anything. (Reza)

Photo by Joe Benjamin, 2009