You have joined teacherstravelweb.com and have access to the members listings for home exchanges. At this stage you will have some idea of where you want to vacation so   go through the listings for that area.
Look for a home that is the size you want , in the location you want and check that the members  want to exchange with a home in your location. Some listings will say, "open to offers" others are more specific.
 
Now you can email the member direct on the supplied email under the listing.
They will want to know something about you, so give them an outline of you and the family members who are travelling with you. Include photos or a description of your area so they can make a decision on whether they want to  vacation in your area. Now you can make tentative dates for your exchange.

Then wait. If they do not reply, email them again. If they reply with a negative, try another listing. If they are interested in  going further start the trust needed for an exchange. Ask questions about the area they live in such as where are the nearest shops, neighbours, town, tourist attractions, beach and tell them all about your area.

If you don’t like what you read, be honest, cancel the exchange early, and look for another pairing in the home exchange listings in the 'members only' area of the site.

If you are happy with what you read, get down to the details such as whether you will exchange cars or not, and are cars covered by insurance. If you are exchanging cars, check your insurance. It’s worth topping up your cover for the period of the exchange. You will need details of your exchangees’ driving record. 

If there are pets to be catered for, can they be put in a boarding kennel if you don’t wish to be responsible for them, Leave enough pet food if pet care is agreed to and the name of the Vet as a precaution! 

Is the computer available for email collection and are there charges, are toll calls acceptable and who pays for them when you get the bill, Is there a security system, is there a trusted person who will show you how it works, is garden maintenance required for long exchanges, etc.

Still all happy?  At this point you  can swap addresses, phone details and surnames, so be sure you are happy with these people in your home.

Confirm the dates, remembering time zones and summer time, and decide on if you are going to meet. Will one party come to the house first, and the second party depart from there, will you meet at an airport halfway, or will you not meet at all, and collect the house key and car keys perhaps from a neighbor or friend. Send each other maps for getting to your home, in detail, through the post.

Now think like a tourist! Visit your local tourist office and collect brochures of your area,  add names of your favourite restaurants, directions to go to your favourite beaches, hiking trails, train and bus stations, tips only a local would know to get to attractions the easy way, parking, etc. and put  it all in a folder, to leave in a prominent place when they arrive. Tell your exchangees you have done this and ask them if they could do the same. Leave a list, to explain the kitchen appliances, the heating system, the washing machine etc. Also any little peculiar things that your house has which might confuse or alarm your guests, such as a door that sticks, a fridge that makes odd noises, etc!. Leave a list of phone numbers for emergencies or information 

Leave the essentials in the fridge – dairy products, bread, salad, cheese and a perhaps a bottle of wine! 
Cancel the papers, but maybe not the milk Tell them when your rubbish collection day is  Tell the neighbours there will be strangers in your house – or someone will see the lights on and call the police! Lock any precious valuables away or leave them with a friend.

And finally, when you leave your exchangees home to return home, leave the house in immaculate condition, all laundry clean, essentials in fridge, (check under the beds) and perhaps a small gift in a prominent place. Leave it as you would like to find yours when you get home.