I am pretty new in my teaching stint but I would say that I am not comfortable with anything over 4:1 and even then it is much easier with an assistant. I prefer 2:1 by a long stretch but that may be because I am not as comfortable handling a larger class right now.
The students themselves are actually what seems makes the difference. I had a family of four that were all jazzed about doing it and paid great attention to skills and learning to do them correctly for the first time we put gear together. Conversely I had four individual divers who did not know each other before the class and it was a bit of a train wreck the first day in the pool keeping everyone focused and moving in the same direction.
The students themselves are actually what seems makes the difference. I had a family of four that were all jazzed about doing it and paid great attention to skills and learning to do them correctly for the first time we put gear together. Conversely I had four individual divers who did not know each other before the class and it was a bit of a train wreck the first day in the pool keeping everyone focused and moving in the same direction.