Cup-stacking: Latest educational break-through?

According to St. Louis Today, stacking cups as fast as possible “is helping students in the Wentzville School District (Missouri) stay physically and mentally fit” (“Wentzville students stack up competition,” October 17, 2012). The only evidence supplied in the article is the testimony of a fifth-grader who says it helps her memorize, and a physical education teacher who asserts that cup stacking stimulates both sides of the brain. This is apparently good enough for the newspaper. It was also good enough for the ASCD, who included this article in their October 22 SmartBrief review of “news for the education profession.”

Why are we so fascinated with bizarre approaches to learning that have zero scientific evidence while we ignore common-sense approaches that are well-supported by research?

Can we expect that the makers of speed stacking cups will claim that their product meets the common core standards?

Stephen Krashen