The aim of the study was to determine the effect of explicit teaching strategy with a collaborative learning approach on learning and retention of elementary school students. The research method was a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test, control and control groups, and the statistical population studied was sixth grade students. The sample size was 50 sixth grade students, selected based on the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The data collection tool was a learning test. The experimental group was taught according to the explicit teaching method with a collaborative learning approach, while the control group was taught in the traditional method. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (analysis of covariance) were used to analyze the data. The use of explicit teaching method with a collaborative learning approach in mathematics lessons was effective on students' learning, retention, and performance. It is recommended that mathematics lessons, especially basic and fundamental topics, be taught through explicit teaching method with a collaborative learning approach, because it is more durable.