One of the basic aims of elementary education is math learning. Historically math researchers have consistently advocated specific classroom practices as substantial influences in instruction and learning. The purpose of present study was to investigate the relationship between teacher’s academic education and experiences, teacher’s quality of teaching, time and opportunity of learning and students’ ability of calculation and problem solving. The sample consisted of 650 fourth and fifth grade elementary school students (320 girls and 330 boys) that were selected through randomized cluster sampling method. The measuring instruments were quality of teaching scale, time and opportunity of learning form, a researcher made mathematics achievement test (including problem solving and calculation questions). The validity and reliability of all these instruments were confirmed. The results revealed a significant difference between students’ ability of problem solving and students’ ability of calculation. Also results showed teacher’s academic education and experiences significantly predicted students’ ability of calculation and problem solving through time and opportunity of learning.

Keywords: problem solving, quality of teaching, opportunity for learning, time for learning

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